POLymers for ARtificial Immunosensors for Safety Issues – POLARISafe

POLARISafe aims at designing electrochemical sensors for the fast détection of hazardous molecules such as food contaminants (melamine in milk products)
and explosifs (TNT). The novelty of the project rests on the combination of two patents together with the elaboration of biomimetic polymeric systems. The first patent (WO 2006108759) concerns a new concept of electrochemical analysis for the detection of at least one analyte, on electrode array to assure the renewal of electrode surface. The second patent (WO 2012028825) concerns the preparation of highly, specific, selective and sensitive MIP grafts by SIPP using (electro)grafted initiators from parent aryl diazonium salts.

The objectives of POLARISafe are :

* Electrografting photoinitiators from diazonium salts in order to prepare thin MIP films by photopolymerization.

* Controlling the lateral and in-depth chemical compositions of MIP grafts in view of achieving the detection of ultra-traces of hazardous molecules (pico- to nanomolar range).

* Establishing protocols of extraction for the ultrasensitive detection of hazardous molecules by MIP grafts in complex matrices.

* Using electrode arrays grafted with MIPs in wireless, portable electrochemical sensor devices for on-site analysis of hazardous molecules.

From the above, POLARISafe proposes to design of a low cost analytical tool that is relevant to the general domain of citizen safety. In addition, POLARISafe has a potential of providing high added value systems that stem from the combination of the above-mentioned patents. The latter are of interest for PolyIntell, an SME who manufactures MIP-based kits for targeting hazardous molecules.