Lakeside, AZ, Sept. 27–A new test (similar to an over-the-counter pregnancy test) will enable first response units– including fire departments, police departments, haz-mat teams, and emergency room and EMT personnel — to readily detect the presence of Ricin, a deadly toxin known to be produced and purified from castor beans by certain Middle Eastern countries sponsoring terrorist activities.
The new test, BIO-911TM, developed by Osborn Scientific Group and called the “One-Step Ricin Test Strip,” allows first-response units to detect the presence of minute quantities of the toxin (less than 50 nanograms) within minutes.
The test should become widely available within the next few weeks. Additional tests for anthrax, botulism toxin, black plague, and smallpox are under development.
For more information, visit http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010926/261032_1.html.
