Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Microelectrochmical Capillary System for Environmental Analytical Lab on a Chip
EPA Contract Number: EPD12036Title: Microelectrochmical Capillary System for Environmental Analytical Lab on a Chip
Investigators: Vaidya, Bikas
Small Business: Lynntech Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: II
Project Period: June 1, 2012 through May 31, 2014
Project Amount: $299,999
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (2012) Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Nanotechnology , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
As part of its mission to protect human health and the environment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is dedicated to developing and promoting innovative cleanup strategies that restore contaminated sites to productive use, reduce associated costs, and promote environmental stewardship. In adopting this strategy, however, there will be an increasing need to implement a more cost-effective, long-term monitoring strategy for all remediation sites, as well as for the surrounding areas, which have not been addressed adequately by the current state-of-the-art monitoring technologies. To address the problem, Lynntech is developing a new, automated field deployable laboratory with the ability to analyze both organic pollutants and metal contaminants in environmental samples simultaneously. The key component of the system is an integrated multichannel device that uses electrochemical pre-concentration and stripping voltammetric analysis for the determination of metals, and a solid phase, extraction-based preconcentrator/injector connected directly to a micro capillary electrochemical-driven device that uses electrokinetic-induced, electro-osmotic flow for organic separation and fiber optic detection system for identification. This unit is highly synergistic to many of the complementary processing and analytical microfluidic devices that have been developed by Lynntech for environmental monitoring. These include an electrochemical stripping voltammetric analysis, selective preconcentration and an optical detection system.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Conclusions:
During Phase II, Lynntech has developed a semi-automated metal and organic contaminants detection system and demonstrated the feasibility of a low-cost, Green Remediation compliant remote monitoring system with the ability to detect both metal and organic contaminants from a mixture. This instrument potentially can provide accurate, inexpensive, easy-to-use and sustainable (green) detection capabilities that can be used by both trained and untrained (community) personnel in a low-technology environment, and will have the ability to run for months or longer without human intervention. This will allow for more rapid hazardous waste site cleanups at a lower cost.
Supplemental Keywords:
remote monitoring, green technology, environmental laboratory, dual detectionSBIR Phase I:
Microelectrochemical Capillary System for Environmental Analytical Lab on a Chip | Final ReportThe 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.