A review of techniques for the detection of biological warfare agents

Biohazards represent an important issue in the field of security, both for the destructive potential and the psychological, economic and social impact that the use of biological agents for biowarfare could have on populations. Early identification of an intentional biological event is essential to ensure correct management and response to the emergency. Much effort for the development of innovative equipment that permit prompt and remote detection of biological warfare agents are needed to achieve this goal. In this work, the different detection systems suitable in the CBRN context for biological agents will be analyzed, focusing on non-specific and specific point-detection systems, and stand-off detection systems, evaluating the pros and cons of each technology.