Grantee Research Project Results
Mobile Analytical Platform for Lead Detection in Drinking Water
EPA Contract Number: 68HERD19C0003Title: Mobile Analytical Platform for Lead Detection in Drinking Water
Investigators: Hill, William C
Small Business: NanoSafe, Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: II
Project Period: December 1, 2018 through November 30, 2020 (Extended to July 31, 2021)
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (2018) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Drinking Water and Detection of Lead Service Lines
Description:
The drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan reminds us that lead remains a dangerous and insidious toxicant that can impact public health for months or years before it is detected and remedied. Increasing awareness of lead contamination has motivated the general public to test their own drinking water, but few tools are available to help these “citizen scientists” do so effectively. Current lead screening products are inaccurate, test only small volumes of water, and cannot detect the particulate lead that is often most problematic.
In Phase I, Nanosafe demonstrated an accurate and inexpensive lead testing platform that is capable of detecting both soluble and insoluble lead compounds in a statistically relevant volume of water while avoiding interference by other common minerals and water chemistries.
In Phase II, the Lead Mobile Analytical Platform (LeadMAP TM) will be enhanced with features that will enable users to draw attention to excessive lead in their own water, proactively identify areas with elevated lead, and provide authorities wit tools to quickly estimate the source, scope, and severity of an elevated lead event so that it may be remedied quickly. A world-renowned lead expert and his team will provide an independent evaluation of this device.
Progress and Final Reports:
SBIR Phase I:
Mobile Analytical Platform for Lead Detection in Drinking Water | 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.