SBIR Phase II: Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) Mounted Sensor for Benthic Studies

这个小企业创新研究第二阶段项目将导致开发一种新型海洋叶绿素荧光传感器，用于研究底栖微藻。 该传感器将是第一个具有荧光寿命测量能力的传感器，也是第一个实现这种能力的传感器。这是具有重大意义的，因为它将允许，第一次，荧光量子产率的直接原位测量，从而光化学效率，这是一个壮举，是不可能与简单的振幅为基础的荧光计。大陆架底栖生态系统对海洋生物具有重要意义，通过微藻的生理状态可以客观地评价这些生态系统的生存能力。这种状态的最重要的组成部分是它们的光合性能的水平，由光驱动的光化学的初级阶段的速率和效率决定。然而，由于缺乏合适的研究工具，有关这些控制底栖微藻健康、长期生存能力、生产力和动态的过程的知识很少。潜在的商业应用包括海洋传感器、精密农业、用于实验室研究市场的光合作用分析仪、非侵入性脑血氧测定、产品认证、高通量筛选、临床体外诊断和在线过程分析。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II Project will result in development of a novel oceanographic chlorophyll fluorescence sensor for the study of benthic microalgae. This sensor will be the first to incorporate fluorescence lifetime measurement capability, and the first to implement such capability for stand-off measurements from an ROV. This is of major significance, because it will permit, for the first time, direct in situ measurements of fluorescence quantum yield, and hence of photochemical efficiency, a feat that is not possible with simple amplitude-based fluorimeters. Continental shelf benthic ecosystems are of critical importance to marine biology and the viability of these ecosystems can be objectively assessed from thephysiological status of the resident microalgae. The most important component of this status is the level of their photosynthetic performance, determined by the rates and efficiency of primary stages of light-driven photochemistry. Yet, knowledge about these processes, which control the health, long-term viability, productivity and dynamics of benthic microalgae is minimal because of the lack of suitable research tools for their study. Potential commercial applications include oceanographic sensors, precision farming, photosynthesis analyzers for the laboratory research market, non-invasive brain oxymetry, product authentication, High Throughput Screening, clinical in vitro diagnostics and on-line process analysis.