Chemical / Biological / Radiological / Nuclear / Explosives (CBRNE)

News and Updates

NIST Develops Yeast Material for Training First Responders on Biothreats

January 4, 2023

Researchers based the material on baker’s yeast because it is harmless and a living biological material.

The Journey to Commercialize Cutting-Edge Sensor Technology

May 17, 2022

In the early 2000’s, Abhishek Motayed found his way to the NIST campus as a contractor, working in what became the Material Measurement Laboratory (MML). Within

K9 Chemistry: A Safer Way to Train Detection Dogs

December 2, 2020

Trained dogs are incredible chemical sensors, far better at detecting explosives, narcotics and other substances than even the most advanced technological

Projects and Programs

Metrology and Standards for Canine Olfactory Detection of Explosives

Effective and accepted by the public, trained dogs are the most frequently deployed detection systems for identification of explosives threats in mobile applications. In addition to being highly sensitive, dogs can rapidly discriminate the unique profile of an explosive in a presence of a large

Measurement and Sampling Standards

Ongoing

A foundational activity that crosscuts our research goals is the development of a variety of standards and test materials to support the effective operation of trace explosive and narcotic detection devices. Trace sampling issues are addressed through fundamental studies on the adhesion and

DARPA Friend or Foe (FoF) – Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V)

Completed

Vision Validate new measurement platforms for identifying commensal (friend) and pathogenic (foe) microorganisms Goal Provide well-characterized, microbial community reference materials of increasing complexity Approach Start with well-characterized pure cultures and scale up to complex consortia in

Living Yeast Cell Reference Material (RM 8230)

Ongoing

Quantification of total and viable microbial cells is critical for applications ranging from assessment of DNA extraction efficiency in support of microbial metagenomics to characterization of antimicrobial efficacy. In addition, safe biological materials are needed to substitute for true biothreat

Publications

In-line Thermal Desorption and Dielectric Barrier Discharge Ionization for Rapid Mass Spectrometry Detection of Explosives

August 5, 2024

Author(s)

Thomas P. Forbes, Liz Robinson, Edward Sisco, Abigail Koss

Thermal desorption (TD) of wipe-based samples was coupled with an in-line dielectric barrier discharge ionization (DBDI) source and rugged compact time-of

Assessing Children's Potential Exposures to Harmful Metals in Tire Crumb Rubber by Accelerated Photodegradation Weathering

August 24, 2023

Author(s)

Lee L. Yu, Li Piin Sung, YuYe Tong, Robyn Winz, Dejun Chen

Whether the use of tire crumb rubber (TCR) playground through the product's service life would expose children to potentially harmful chemicals contained within

Mercury Accumulation and Biomarkers of Exposure in Two Popular Recreational Fishes in Hawaiian Waters

July 25, 2023

Author(s)

Stephanie D. Holbert, Colleen E. Bryan Sallee, Keith Korsmeyer, Brenda A. Jensen

Mercury (Hg) exposure has not been examined in many recreational nearshore fish species that are commonly consumed around the Hawaiian Islands. Specific gene

Online dashboards for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater data need standard best practices: An environmental health communication agenda

April 17, 2023

Author(s)

Colleen Naughton, Rochelle Holm, Nancy Lin, Brooklyn James, Ted Smith

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the benefits of wastewater surveillance to supplement clinical data. Numerous online information dashboards have been

Tools and Instruments

Cabinet x-ray system

The Smiths Detection 6046si cabinet x-ray system was designed for security screening of bags, parcels and other objects of similar size. The system runs at 160

X-ray Backscatter Systems

X-ray backscatter systems are used for the screening of personnel for hidden weapons and other contraband. Unlike conventional radiographic x-ray systems