Grantee Research Project Results
Cryptosporidium Detection System
EPA Contract Number: 68D01012Title: Cryptosporidium Detection System
Investigators: Fernandez, Salvador M.
Small Business: Ciencia Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: April 1, 2001 through September 1, 2001
Project Amount: $70,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2001) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration , SBIR - Monitoring , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
The Phase I objective is to develop a compact, low-cost, easy-to-use system for the rapid detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts. Two key innovations provide the foundation for Ciencia, Inc.'s system: (1) a dielectrophoretic field-flow-fractionation method to replace current filtering and centrifugation methods to concentrate the sample and remove nontarget organisms or nonbiological debris, and (2) direct fluorescent immunoassay detection using a novel type of fluorescent label that should result in a sensitivity improvement of the order of 104 over that of conventional fluorescent immunoassays. Fluorescence excitation will be provided by single quantum well light-emitting diodes. This will result in a low-cost, compact instrument of very low power consumption. These innovations can be used to improve current laboratory-based procedures for Cryptosporidium detection, but more importantly, they can be exploited to implement portable devices for rapid onsite detection, and offer the potential of implementation of online sensors.Supplemental Keywords:
small business, SBIR, monitoring, Cryptosporidium, engineering, EPA, sensors, drinking water., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Water, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Ecosystem/Assessment/Indicators, exploratory research environmental biology, Chemistry, Ecological Effects - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Monitoring/Modeling, Ecological Effects - Human Health, Environmental Monitoring, Drinking Water, Environmental Engineering, Engineering, Ecological Indicators, cryptosporidium parvum oocysts, monitoring, detection, cryptosporidium , microbial risk management, measurementProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.