Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: A Nanocontact Sensor for Heavy Metal Ion Detection
EPA Grant Number: R829623Title: A Nanocontact Sensor for Heavy Metal Ion Detection
Investigators: Tao, Nongjian
Institution: Arizona State University
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2004 (Extended to March 19, 2006)
Project Amount: $375,000
RFA: Exploratory Research: Nanotechnology (2001) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Nanotechnology , Safer Chemicals
Objective:
The threat of heavy metal pollution is a serious environmental concern because of the toxicity of such metals to a broad range of living organisms, including humans, and the consequence of heavy metals not being biodegradable. Due to the difficulties inherent in remediating sites contaminated with heavy metals, there is an urgent demand for an in situ sensor that is sensitive enough to monitor heavy metal ions before the concentration reaches a dangerous level. This project exploited the recent progress in nanofabrications to develop sensors for in situ detection of metal ion pollution. The objective of this research project was to develop a high performance and low-cost sensor for initial onsite screening of surface water and groundwater that can provide early warning and prevention of heavy metal ion pollution.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
We demonstrated detection of heavy metal ions at parts per trillion (ppt) levels in drinking water using three different principles: (1) quantum point contacts; (2) conducting polymer nanojunctions; and (3) high resolution surface plasmon resonance. We achieved selectivity based on varying deposition and stripping potentials for different metal ions, similar to the anodic stripping voltammetry method, and by selecting peptides with appropriate sequences.
Journal Articles on this Report : 12 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 54 publications | 13 publications in selected types | All 13 journal articles |
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Boussaad S, Xu BQ, Nagahara LA, Amlani I, Schmickler W, Tsui R, Tao NJ. Discrete tunneling current fluctuations in metal-water-metal tunnel junctions. Journal of Chemical Physics 2003;118(19):8891-8897. |
R829623 (2002) R829623 (2003) R829623 (Final) |
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Boussaad S, Tao NJ. Polymer wire chemical sensor using a microfabricated tuning fork. Nano Letters 2003;3(8):1173-1176. |
R829623 (2003) R829623 (Final) |
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Boussaad S, Tao NJ, Zhang R, Hopson T, Nagahara LA. In situ detection of cytochrome c adsorption with single walled carbon nanotube device. Chemical Communications 2003;(13):1502-1503. |
R829623 (Final) |
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Forzani ES, Zhang HQ, Nagahara LA, Amlani I, Tsui R, Tao NJ. A conducting polymer nanojunction sensor for glucose detection. NanoLetters 2004;4(9):1785-1788. |
R829623 (Final) |
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Forzani ES, Zhang HQ, Chen W, Tao NJ. Detection of heavy metal ions in drinking water using a high-resolution differential surface plasmon resonance sensor. Environmental Science & Technology 2005;39(5):1257-1262. |
R829623 (Final) |
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He HX, Tao NJ, Nagahara LA, Amlani I, Tsui R. Discrete conductance switching in conducting polymer wires. Physical Review 2003;B68(4):045302. |
R829623 (2003) R829623 (Final) |
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Li XL, He HX, Xu BQ, Xiao XY, Nagahara LA, Amlani I, Tsui R, Tao NJ. Measurement of electron transport properties of molecular junctions fabricated by electrochemical and mechanical methods. Surface Science 2004;573(1):1-10. |
R829623 (2003) R829623 (Final) |
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Ren MH, Forzani ES, Tao NJ. A chemical sensor based on microfabricated wristwatch tuning forks. Analytical Chemistry 2005;77(9):2700-2707. |
R829623 (Final) |
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Xiao XY, Xu BQ, Tao NJ. Changes in the conductance of single peptide molecules upon metal-ion binding. Angewandte Chemie-International Edition 2004;43(45):6148-6152. |
R829623 (Final) |
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Xu BQ, Tao NJJ. Measurement of single-molecule resistance by repeated formation of molecular junctions. Science 2003;301(5637):1221-1223. |
R829623 (2003) R829623 (Final) |
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Zhang HQ, Boussaad S, Tao NJ. A high-performance differential surface plasmon resonance sensor using quadrant cell photodetector. Review of Scientific Instruments 2003;74(1):150-153. |
R829623 (2002) R829623 (Final) |
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Zhang HQ, Boussaad S, Ly N, Tao NJJ. Magnetic-field-assisted assembly of metal/polymer/metal junction sensors. Applied Physics Letters 2004;84(1):133-135. |
R829623 (2003) R829623 (Final) |
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Supplemental Keywords:
nanotechnology, metal ion detection, heavy metal ion sensor, quantum point contact, nanoelectrodes, nanocontacts, peptides, surface plasmon resonance,, RFA, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Scientific Discipline, Water, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Chemistry, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, Chemistry and Materials Science, Monitoring/Modeling, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Monitoring, heavy metals, metal ions, measurement, atomic force microscopy, heavy metal ion detection, monitoring, sensor technology, groundwater, scanning tunneling microscopy, nanotechnology, sensor, metal ion pollution, nanocontact sensorProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe 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.