Detection of biological warfare agents using ultra violet-laser induced fluorescence LIDAR

•System has application in early warning against biological warfare attack.•Review highlights the threat of biological warfare agents, their types, and detection using UV-LIF LIDAR.•LIF signal of Bacillus globigii cloud at distance up to 5 km is presented with MAPMT and ICCD detectors.•Overview of current research in internationally available working UV-LIF LIDAR systems are also mentioned briefly.•This review will be very useful for graduate and under graduate students in understanding of Standoff UV-LIF LIDAR system.

This review has been written to highlight the threat of biological warfare agents, their types and detection. Bacterial biological agent Bacillus anthracis (bacteria causing the disease anthrax) which is most likely to be employed in biological warfare is being discussed in detail. Standoff detection of biological warfare agents in aerosol form using Ultra violet-Laser Induced Fluorescence (UV-LIF) spectroscopy method has been studied. Range-resolved detection and identification of biological aerosols by both nano-second and non-linear femto-second LIDAR is also discussed. Calculated received fluorescence signal for a cloud of typical biological agent Bacillus globigii (Simulants of B. anthracis) at a location of ∼5.0 km at different concentrations in presence of solar background radiation has been described. Overview of current research efforts in internationally available working UV-LIF LIDAR systems are also mentioned briefly.

Graphical abstractUV-LIF LIDAR system.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide