Colour-changing spray offers new way to detect biological threats in war

A US technology company has developed a new system designed to detect biological threats in military environments by causing a liquid to change colour when it encounters a hazardous agent.

The technology was developed by the Battelle Memorial Institute, a private nonprofit applied science and technology development organization based in Ohio. According to the company's statement, the system could provide an immediate and easily visible indication of a biological threat without requiring additional or specialized equipment.

Unlike other surface-detection systems that can identify only the general presence of contamination, Battelle’s technology can be adapted to detect specific biological agents. Its detection capability relies on a proprietary formulation that binds to targeted threats and subsequently generates a visible colour change, allowing users to identify what type of threat is present.

“There are technologies that can tell you something is there, but not what it is,” said David Glasbrenner, a senior molecular geneticist at Battelle. “What makes this different is that a client can tell us which agent they care about, and we can build the tool to detect that exact threat or multiple threats simultaneously.”

The system was initially developed with military applications in mind, but the company said the technology could potentially have uses beyond the battlefield, including hospital infection control and food safety monitoring.

“Our work began with biothreat characterization… but it has expanded into sensor development focused on how to detect these threats quickly and reliably,” Glasbrenner said.

“By applying a liquid spray to a surface, users can see a color change with the naked eye if a threat is present. That simplicity is what makes the approach so powerful.”

The liquid was developed in response to requirements from the US defence Threat Reduction Agency and was first showcased at a major defence event at Camp Dawson in West Virginia earlier this year. The event was attended by representatives from the US Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy and National Guard.

The technology could offer an advantage in situations where personnel need to establish quickly whether a potentially contaminated surface contains a particular biological threat. By providing a visible signal directly on the surface, the system could reduce reliance on laboratory analysis or dedicated detection equipment for an initial assessment.

Battelle was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1929 and works across national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental sectors. The organization has a long history of developing technologies for government and military applications, including technologies used by the US military during World War II and equipment developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest development reflects a broader effort to make biological threat detection faster and easier to deploy, particularly in environments where military personnel may have limited access to specialized analytical equipment.

By Nazrin Sadigova