Cbrn small Instrument Detection Capabilities Article February, 2016

February, 2016

In February 2016, CBRN interviewed Tim Moshier, President of Acumen Detection, LLC (An SRC Company), about his company’s small instrument detection capabilities that may be used for special operations, on both deployed and covert missions.

The Aklus Shield™ biological detection system is a self-contained portable biological detection and sample collection system (see Figure and Figure ). It is a battery operated networked warning system designed to rapidly detect, sample, and identify biological warfare agents. It mission space includes perimeter defense, critical infrastructure and building protection, as well as, special event surveillance.

The bio identification assays that we developed for the Aklus Shield system can also be used in support of Sensitive Site Exploitation (SSE) and Consequence Management (CM) roles. Our bacteria and virus assays are based on Polymerase Chain Technology (PCR), so they provide excellent sensitivity (down to tens of bacteria, and several hundred viruses per milliliter of sample), and specificity (false positive rates far below 1%). Two characteristics that distinguish our technology from other PCR-based assays are:

1) No need to perform sample clean-up or extraction prior to running the PCR, which saves up to an hour of time, and significant consumables costs. Our assays have been tested against some of the most challenging operational environments (see Figure ).

2) Extremely long shelf life -- our assays still perform after being stored at 122 F for over three months, and over 2 years at room temperature; this means no need for an expensive, cumbersome cold chains in the area of operations.

Our toxin assays are really unique for their ability to provide actionable knowledge at the point of need. Our assays measure the toxins’ biological activity, which is very important since some toxins can quickly degrade into a harmless state once exposed to the environment, or they may have been degraded in the purification/concentration process. Obviously, determining if a toxin is still dangerous or not is a key piece of information for accurate, informed decision making. Because our toxin assays can work on the same PCR instruments that the bacteria and virus assays work on, there’s no need to take multiple instruments to the field. Like our bacteria and virus assays, our toxin assays also work with dirty environmental samples, and have the shelf lives.

Our Acu-Swab-R™ sampling kits are ideal for SSE and CM missions that require very low-level detection and identification of chemicals and biologics on surfaces. In testing with Thermo Scientific’s FirstDefender RMX, we get 10,000 – 100,000 fold improvement in instrument sensitivity. We use non-reactive materials in the Acu-Swab-R, and because the sample is contained within the Acu-Swab-R’s vial it provides safe sample transport to supporting laboratories, where extraction solvents can be added to it for confirmatory analyses by technologies like Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GS-MS), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), etc. Each Acu-Swab-R is only 1.8” high by 0.6” in diameter, weighs just 7.3 grams, and has unlimited shelf life, so they are very well suited for operations in austere environments. The Acu-Swab-R can work with FTIR instruments in addition to Raman-based devices.

The Aklus Shield system is simple to use, operator training can be completed in less than 4 hours. The system can be set-up and ready for use in less than 5 minutes. Consumables consist of a collection filter, elution kit, and PCR assays.

Our bio identification assays can be used on virtually any PCR instrument, and have been used on small and tactical instruments like Epistem’s Genedrive, Biomeme’s handheld PCR instrument, Chai Biotechnologies’ Open qPCR, and BioFire’s RAZOR. Of course, they work on any laboratory PCR instrument, too. So if a customer already has a PCR instrument they are familiar with, there is virtually no new training required. We have trained non-specialist military operators that have never done PCR before in less than two hours.

Because our assays are tolerant to common environmental interferents, tap water can be used to reconstitute the freeze-dried assays. Or as we demonstrated during a recent US Special Operations Command technology demonstration, unpurified swamp water also works (see Figure ).

The Acu-Swab-R’s are very intuitive to use, and operators can be trained on their use within 15 minutes (see Figure ). The Acu-Swab-R can work directly with most FTIR instruments; simply clamp the Acu-Swab-R sample pad into the sample read head. Raman instruments require an adapter to ensure correct sample alignment and focal length for the read head. We currently have an adapter that will work with Thermo Scientific’s FirstDefender RMX and Gemini™ analyzer, and we are working with Rigaku to develop an adapter for their Progeny™ ResQ™ system.

Because our bio identification assays and Acu-Swab-Rs are so easy to learn and employ, are optimized for use in austere environments, and are not ITAR controlled, they are ideal for use in operations with partner nation forces.

The primary application of Aklus Shield is to detect and sample biological agents including bacteria, viruses, and toxins. The system is also flexible enough that chemical and radiological sensors can be added to the sensor platform.

A current listing of our bio-identification assays is available on our website (www.acumendetection.com ). In addition to the assays that target the major bio terrorism threat agents (anthrax, plague, VEE, botulinum toxin, ricin toxin, etc.), we also offer assays for targets that are commonly used in open-air testing and training (Bacillus atrophaeus (BG), and Bacillus thuringiensis Kurstaki (BtK)). It’s worth noting that our smallpox virus assay is actually a pan-Orthopox assay, and so will detect the presence of a broad variety of pox viruses. This an important capability as other pox viruses, such as monkeypox, are known to cause disease in humans, and they could also serve as models for smallpox in bio-warfare/bio-terrorism labs.

We continue to grow our catalog of bio-identification assays, and are focusing on food and agriculture safety assays that are important to public health, and economic viability. Examples of these assays include: shiga toxin (also measures toxin activity), Salmonella, Listeria, and assays for mastitis in dairy cows.

The Acu-Swab-R is a broad-spectrum collection device, and is effective in sampling explosives, drugs, chemical warfare agents and biological agents. It collects both liquid and solid materials from a broad range of surfaces, even highly porous and irregular surfaces like asphalt. The only real limitation is the library that is loaded onto the instrument that the Acu-Swab-R is being used with. But today’s handheld Raman and FTIR instruments are capable of identifying thousands of chemical compounds, and in most cases the instruments’ libraries can be tailored to the operator’s needs.

The Aklus Shield detector is extremely sensitive to biological warfare agent aerosols and is able to separate out the warfare agents from background clutter through the use of advanced algorithms and signature libraries. The specific identification of the agent is accomplished by PCR, the industry standard for biological identification. The Aklus Shield allows a number of user specified settings to adjust the sensitivity of the system to match the operational scenario. For biological sensing there is the ability to be too sensitive. Unlike chemical agents that are never naturally found, biological agents are endemic to many environments. Thus, if a biological detection system is overly sensitive, it can detect and identify naturally occurring background flora, verses an intentional attack.

Our bio identification assays are able to detect tens of bacteria per milliliter (10 – 100), and several hundred viruses per milliliter. Our toxin assay sensitivity ranges from 1 nanogram per milliliter (for botulinum toxin) to 100 nanogram per milliliter (for ricin-abrin toxin).

Using our Acu-Swab-R with the FirstDefender RMX Raman spectrometer, we are able to identify as little as 5 micrograms of solid materials, and less than 100 nanoliters of liquids on complex surfaces like plastics, painted surfaces, and even asphalt. Surface samples taken from instruments and transport cases during simulated biological aerosol attacks at Dugway Proving Ground (during the 2015 S/K Challenge) consistently gave positive results when analyzed using our bio identification assays.

To ensure that the measurements are accurate, SRC utilizes its own Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) and chemistry laboratories to ensure that every system performs within tight operating parameters. Our ISO-9001 certified quality control processes assure that all incoming parts meet our high standards and system to system variability is minimized.

Each assay lot is quality checked after it has been freeze-dried (lyophilized), and is issued a Certificate of Acceptance (CoA).

To minimize detection false positives we employ highly sophisticated algorithms to separate background biological particles from “agents of interest”. Network algorithms and disparate information provide another level of filtering to minimize false positives. The Acumen identification assays are tested against a panel of interferents (Arizona road dust, humic acid, diesel exhaust, saline, Montana soil), and near neighbors to assure against false positives and cross reactivity.

The Acu-Swab-R functions both by optimizing the placement of sample to instrument read-head, and by greatly reducing the background clutter that may otherwise overwhelm the chemical identification instrument’s ability to make a quick read. These features greatly improve the probability of a correct detection/identification.

We account for enemy attempts to mask their CBRN weapons with our innovative approach to design and strict manufacturing processes assure the highest quality product. We have looked at every conceivable approach to masking and we have made sure that our product is not susceptible to any masking attempt.

As part of our Aklus Shield development effort we conducted side-by-testing in our dynamic aerosol chamber to ensure that we were incorporating the best possible technologies, and that we understood how these components would work in challenging environments. For example, we evaluated detector components against biological aerosols that were of varying concentrations, and particle sizes; with clean backgrounds, and with high-concentration road dust backgrounds. This way we can be sure that our systems have little chance of either being blinded, or spoofed into false alarming.

One of the reasons for developing assays that are tolerant to many potential interferents is to improve their ability to work in the presence of potential masking agents.

The future of CBRN detection?

The probability of chemical and biological attack steadily rises because terrorism is a growing global threat, and terrorists are looking for new ways to make bold statements. Abrin, ricin, and anthrax “how to” instructions are readily available, making it easier to both produce and disseminate weapon agents. The recent spike in the number of ricin threats, and ISIS’ use of chemical warfare agents is absolute proof that the chemical and biological threat is here.

Because of the shift from chemical and biological weapons being under state control, to being used by terrorists, the primary responsibility for CBRN detection is shifting from federal militaries to local governments and private agencies. Every government, municipality, and business we talk with are very concerned about chemical and biological weapons being used by terrorists. The biggest challenge they face is limited resources and funding. How much money can they afford to dedicate to an event with a low probability of occurrence, but with extremely high consequence? It is because of the shifting market and limited resources that the future of the industry will be focused on cost of operation.

The historic disruption of civil structures and population displacements that we are seeing today leads to new kinds of chemical and biological threats. Sites that contain toxic industrial chemicals, or worse, chemical weapons facilities that have been abandoned because of war or insurgencies are becoming convenient resources for non-conventional weapons. It appears that ISIS is both exploiting these resources, as well as possibly synthesizing their own chemical warfare agents. The huge numbers of displaced persons that are leaving their homes to find better security elsewhere are forced to spend time in sub-standard environments where disease could easily spread if effective surveillance measures are not in place.

Special operations forces (SOF) may find themselves working with local military, law enforcement, public health and non-governmental agencies to identify and control chemical and biological threat sources. In addition to very low cost of operation, CBRN solutions for SOF need to be easy (intuitive) to use, robust to operate in austere environments, flexible enough to be used in any number of unanticipated scenarios, and transferrable to partner forces and agencies.

At SRC we pride ourselves on taking the time to understand our customer and tailor our products to provide a unique and comprehensive solution based on the customer’s priorities. In some instances the best solution may not be our product but may be developing interfaces to allow the customers current devices to work more effectively together.

We recognize that the operator is at the center of every system, and so we develop all of our technologies with focus on the operator. We also recognize that information is really only useful when it’s actionable information, and so we strive to deliver technologies that answer the “So what?” question affordably, quickly, and at the point of need.

Figure . Aklus Shield deployed in operational testing Figure . Aklus Shield in backpack carry configuration

Figure . The 3 tubes in the picture are a control (clean) tube and 2 tubes with eluate from subway aerosol collection filters. The graphs show our botulinum and ricin assays' performance in the presence of subway interferents

Figure . Acu-Swab-R surface sampling kit process (shown with FirstDefender RMX)

Figure . Assay performance using unpurified swamp water, and water purified with Roving Blue’s portable water purification system.