Grantee Research Project Results
Online Water Monitoring Utilizing an Automated Microarray Biosensor Instrument
EPA Contract Number: EPD09016Title: Online Water Monitoring Utilizing an Automated Microarray Biosensor Instrument
Investigators: Trindade, Theresa
Small Business: Constellation Technology Corporation
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: February 1, 2009 through July 31, 2009
Project Amount: $70,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2009) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
Constellation Technology Corporation (Constellation) proposes the use of an integrated recovery and detection system for online water supply monitoring. The integrated system is designed to efficiently capture and recover pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and toxins from water supplies and to detect and identify those pathogens in an automated fashion. Current methods of pathogen detection include laboratory culture and molecular techniques such as PCR. These methods require specialized personnel, sample preparation, and longer time periods to obtain results. Constellation’s Automated Concentration System (ACS) has been shown to effectively concentrate large volumes of water. The Advance Array BioSensor (Advance ABS) has been shown to be a sensitive and specific detection system for the assay of a panel of 10 biological agents including Bacillus anthracis, Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), and the viral stimulant Vaccinia virus. Under Phase I of this project, assays will be developed combining ACS ultrafiltration with Advance ABS immunoassay technology for the detection of E.coli O157:H7, Cryptosporidium parvum, and Hepatitis A virus in large volumes of water within 2 hours. In Phase II, this assay panel will be expanded to include other agents from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Microbial Contaminant Candidates list to form a test panel of 10 waterborne pathogens of concern. Constellation proposes this method to be a rapid, sensitive, specific, and cost-effective alternative to other methods currently used. It will be a rugged online water monitoring system for drinking water, which will generate minor quantities of waste product (1-2 milliliters per test) than can be easily disposed of with no effect on the environment. This system will be designed to allow for the frequent sampling and routine monitoring of water supply systems.
Supplemental Keywords:
small business, SBIR, EPA, microarray biosensor, water supply monitoring, detection system, recovery system, pathogen, bacteria, virus, parasite, toxin, water supply, pathogen detection, ultrafiltration, immunoassay, E. coli, Crypotsporidium parvum, hepatitis A, sensitive, specific, cost-effective, water monitoring, measurement and monitoring,Progress 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.