Chemical warfareDHS funds Ricin detection
Positive ID announces the company’s immunodetection assay for the identification of Ricin toxin to meet DHS specifications; Ricin, a chemical warfare agent, is derived from the seeds of the castor oil plant Ricinus communis and has become a tool of terrorist groups across the world due to its easy production and high toxicity
Delray Beach, Florida-based PositiveID Corporation announced that the DHS Science and Technologies Directorate (S&T) has directed and funded the development of the company’s immunodetection assay for the identification of Ricin toxin to meet the specific needs that DHS has in securing the United States against biological threats. Ricin, a chemical warfare agent, is derived from the seeds of the castor oil plant Ricinus communis and has become a tool of terrorist groups across the world due to its easy production and high toxicity.
PositiveID’s MicroFluidic Systems (MFS) subsidiary developed the immunodetection assay, which is now available, for the rapid identification of Ricin toxin. In addition to the individual detection of Ricin toxin, MFS also offers a triplex assay for the simultaneous detection of three toxins: Ricin, Botulinum, and Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB).
PositiveID offers a white paper on Web site on Ricin poisoning and detection.
Lyle Probst, Vice President of Programs at MFS, said, “Our assay for the identification of Ricin toxin, which has the potential to be used as an agent of biological warfare, relies on proven and well understood technologies. In a recent evaluation of our immunodetection assay for Ricin compared to the current gold standard method of identification, the MFS Assay for the identification of Ricin is equivalent or better. As an additional advantage, with minimal effort, this assay can be reconfigured to fit other commercial platforms.”
