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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."

3 of 68 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Why nano? by mkettler · · Score: 3, Interesting

    possibly too heavy to stay in suspension when coated with sugars?

    Just a guess, but gold is pretty dense stuff.

    --
    -Matt
  2. Re:FUD by Jaqui · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "What's next? "New construction techniques defend against terrorist bombings"?"

    uh, since The Oklahoma City bombing that has been started. ~sigh~

    the series "Frontlines of Construction" [ on Discovery Channel usually ] has covered how the construction industry is now engineering to protect against terrorist attacks. Simple things like stopping vehicles from parking close to the front of the building to more complex items like improving structural design to handle massive bomb damage and avoid catastrophic failure as happened on Oklahoma City event and with the WTC.

    --
    J. Henager: If the average user can put a CD in and boot the system and follow the prompts, he can install and use Linux
  3. "when any toxin is found"? by sirwired · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It changes color for "any toxin"? What exactly is a "toxin". As any toxicologist will tell you, poison is all about the dosage.

    At 1000mg / dose, Tylenol is an effective, safe non-addictive pain releiver.

    At 7000mg / dose, it causes irreversible liver damage in most adults without the antidote.

    Poisoning by Iron supplements used to be a very common cause of poison deaths among children until there were mandated safety caps for iron supplements.

    So again, what is a "toxin"?

    SirWired