This paper deals with the innovation of the Czech colorimetric biosensor Detehit designed for the simple, fast, and sensitive detection of nerve agents. The innovation is based on the use of an indicator consisting of a mixture of two triphenylmethane dyes, Guinea green B and a basic fuchsin, on a glass nanofiber filter paper carrier. The advantage of this solution is the blue-red color transition, which is much more visible than the white-yellow transition of other Detehit biosensors. The newly designed biosensor allows the users to visually detect (with the naked eye) the presence of the most significant paralytic substances (sarin, soman, cyclosarin, tabun, VX) in water at concentrations of at least 0.001 μg/mL. This biosensor design also enables one to detect these substances in air or on contaminated surfaces.

Department of Health Care Disciplines and Population Protection Faculty of Biomechanical Engineering Czech Technical University Prague Sítná 3105 272 01 Kladno Czech Republic

Department of Petroleum Technology and Alternative Fuels University of Chemistry and Technology Prague Technická 5 166 28 Prague Czech Republic

Oritest spol s r o Nábřežní 90 4 150 00 Prague Czech Republic

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