Trapping Toxins Using Gold Nanoparticles

Billly Gates writes "British scientists have found a way to quickly and accurately find toxins by binding gold nanoparticles with sugar which then could be dissolved in a solution that changes color when any toxin is found. This procedure could be used in the medical field to find poisons and diseases as well as finding substances in bioterrorist attacks."

Re:Any toxin?

[tpgp]

This thing can't detect every toxin, right?

I know its a little much to expect an ac to read the article, but right in there:

Once made, the [gold] particles are coated with sugars tailored to detect different biological substances.

So - you're going to need a special 'receptor' sugar for each toxin type.

Re:Bioterrorism?

[tpgp]

Are you suggesting Union Carbide willfully gassed the people of Bhopal? Because the article you link to suggests a malicious intent by the CEO.
That's a bit of a stretch from the Islamofascists who are willfully trying to kill non-believers.

OK - you're right. Calling them bio-terrorism isn't a correct. But as the powers-that-be are labelling everything they don't like as bio-terrorism, I thought I would do the same. (oh, and not all terrorists are islamic)

I'm not saying UC isn't culpable, or that the settlement shouldn't have been more substantial, but you're comparing apples and oranges.

OK - I am comparing apples & oranges - however, I wanted to highlight the fact that the major chemical and biological threat to people is from negligent or greedy corporations, not some nebulous terrorist threat

Also, how does a US$470,000,000 settlement only come to $300-500 per person unless it's spread out to 1,175,000 people and not the 50,000 mentioned in the article? Perhaps the state used/took some of the money for (I'm hoping) services and to recover their costs for assistance. Look, Bhopal was crappy and I think it has helped India step up to not be treated like a 3rd world nation, but weak analogies like your will not help bring justice.

The 50,000 you mention are those who can't work due to injuries. The settlement also had to pay for the cleanup (still imcomplete), the funerals (and family's) of the 20,000 who died, the 120,000 who suffer ailments (I could go on....)

Re:I thought this sounded familiar...

[afaik_ianal]

Oh - where'd the link go?

Well, I meant to put this link in: http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/03/1 3/2340222 [slashdot.org] :-/