Current Affairs Brain Booster for UPSC & State PCS Examination (Topic: Raman Spectroscopy)

Current Affairs Brain Booster for UPSC & State PCS Examination

Raman Spectroscopy

One of the most challenging aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the lack of testing needed to detect and trace infections. Many tests use biochemicals that can be expensive and difficult to produce. These tests can require long turnaround times for test results and can produce a high number of false negative results.
A Northern Arizona University (NAU) research team, led by professor Miguel José Yacamán, is developing a new test technology for SARSCoV-2 using single-molecule surfaceenhanced Raman spectroscopy (SMSERS).
A team led by Amit Dutt from the Mumbai-based Tata Memorial Centre has turned to Raman Spectroscopy to detect RNA viruses present in saliva samples. It is a proof-of-concept study to analyse non-infectious RNA viruses using conventional Raman Spectroscopy without using any additional reagent to enhance the signal.

Raman spectroscopy is a spectroscopic technique used to detect vibrational, rotational, and other states in a molecular system, capable of probing the chemical composition of materials.
In this technique where scattered light is used to measure the vibrational energy modes of a sample.
It is named after the Indian physicist C. V. Raman who, together with his research partner K. S. Krishnan, was the first to observe Raman scattering in 1928.
Raman spectroscopy can provide both chemical and structural information, as well as the identification of substances through their characteristic Raman ‘fingerprint’.
Raman spectroscopy extracts this information through the detection of Raman scattering from the sample.
Raman effect, according to which when incident light (wavelength 750–850 nm) excites molecules in a tissue, the molecules will reflect light in a different wavelength. ( The reflectant light's wavelength is characteristic for various chemical components and allows detection of the atheromatous plaque chemical synthesis. ( In particular, Raman spectroscopy can discriminate between the various plaque components, such as elastin, collagen, cholesterol, cholesterol esters, lipids, carotenoids, and calcium apatite deposits.

It identified seven anthropogenic driving factors leading to the emergence of zoonotic diseases — increased demand for animal protein; rise in intense and unsustainable farming; the increased use and exploitation of wildlife; unsustainable utilisation of natural resources; travel and transportation, changes in food supply chains and the climate change crisis.
About 60 per cent of human infections are estimated to have an animal origin. Of all new and emerging human infectious diseases, some 75 per cent “jump species” from other animals to people. Most described zoonoses happen indirectly, e.g. via the food system.
The frequency of pathogenic microorganisms jumping from other animals to people is increasing due to unsustainable human activities.
The greatest burden of zoonotic disease is borne by poor people, but emerging infectious diseases impact everyone, with monetary losses of emerging infectious disease much greater in high-income countries.
Diseases are emerging more frequently from animals. Rapid action is necessary to fill the science gap and fast-track the development of knowledge and tools to help national governments, businesses, the health sector, local communities and other stakeholders – especially those with limited resources – to reduce the risk of future pandemics.

The advantage is that the tool can be taken to the field and people who test positive for RNA virus can be quarantined while another sample may be sent for validation using Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
This whole process of data acquisition and analysis can be performed within a minute.
Since no additional reagent is needed there is no recurring cost.
A portable (benchtop or handheld) Raman spectrophotometer installed at the port of entry such as airports or any point of care (in the field) can quickly screen passengers within minutes.