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Novel sensor approaches to sniff out biosecurity threats (BMSB, QFF) – extended in 2022

Home > Projects > Novel sensor approaches to sniff out biosecurity threats (BMSB, QFF) – extended in 2022

This project began as a five-year project that was completed in mid-2022. The project was then extended for another two years.

Project Abstract – from completed five-year project

This research project has developed two novel sensor technologies with potential to become essential biosecurity tools for detecting key insect pests along importation pathways and at the border.

With an increase in global trade comes an increased biosecurity risk in unwanted pest insect incursions via importation pathways. New technologies that can rapidly and confidently detect pests pre-border and en route are needed. We aimed to develop two novel sniffer technologies for the real time detection of insect pests on the basis of their unique volatile fingerprints.

Firstly, a tunable handheld sensor that can screen fresh produce and inanimate commodities using an array of powerful insect odorant receptors (iORs) to detect VOCs from the air (target: key volatiles emitted from fruits infested by Queensland fruit fly (QFF)). Secondly, a low-cost portable device for detecting hitchhiker pests in containers during shipment or post border; combining a specialised polymer coated sensor with a front end selectivity filter (target: tridecane, the major component of the Brown Mamorated Stink Bug (BMSB) alarm pheromone).

iORs have been recombinantly expressed, purified and stabilised in liposome and nanodisc formats. We have successfully coupled the iORs to various biosensor platforms and detected volatile compounds dissolved in solution. We are now focusing on transferring this technology into the gas phase. Concurrently, a portable prototype BMSB sensor has been developed, capable of detecting tridecane at concentrations consistent with expected levels in shipping containers.

Biosecurity outcome

Two novel sniffer technologies will be produced for the real time detection of pests on the basis of their unique aromas:

  • Handheld sniffer device – a tuneable sensor that can screen fresh produce and inanimate commodities arriving as cargo for multiple pests (initial targets: QFF-infested fruit and BMSB. The device will detect the fingerprint aroma of the pest and be an essential tool used by MPI officers at the border in the long term.
  • Remote sniffer device – a low cost device for detecting hitchhiker pests in containers during shipment (initial target: BMSB). This device will specifically detect pest biomarker volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and be inserted into containers prior to shipment to NZ. Upon arrival in NZ, MPI staff will scan the device through the container walls to determine if inspection is required.

Science outcome

Two novel biosensor technology platforms will be developed:

  • Handheld sniffer device –we will pioneer the development of a biosensor technology which uses an array of powerful insect odorant receptors (iORs) to detect VOCs from the air. iORs are yet to be exploited in any sensor technology.
  • Remote sniffer device –We will pioneer the development of DNA aptamer based biosensors for the ultrasensitive detection of biomarker VOCs. DNA aptamer based sensors are yet to be applied to VOC detection.

For more information and publications on this and other B3 projects, visit Zotero.

The Zotero database is on the B3 homepage under ‘Outputs’.