SBIR Phase I: In situ PFC Monitoring Sensors

该小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目旨在满足监测废水中全氟辛酸(PFOA)和全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)的分析需求。全氟化学品具有生物累积性、极强的持久性和毒性；围绕全氟辛烷磺酸和全氟辛烷磺酸污染地区的修复工作进行了巨大的努力。考虑到对环境和公众健康的影响，监测全氟辛烷磺酸和全氟辛烷磺酸很重要。虽然已有已建立的LC/MS/MS方法在低水平测量它们，但这种设备价格昂贵，通常不便于现场携带。本研究旨在开发一种野外和实验室可部署的离子选择电极，以低成本、低检测下限选择性和快速地测定全氟辛酸和全氟辛烷磺酸。该项目将利用最近从明尼苏达大学获得许可的高度选择性和耐污染的氟膜。这项研究的广泛影响是重大的，因为建议的传感器将为环境监测、合规和补救工作提供一种快速、简单、无需样品前处理、选择性和经济的检测方法，目前这些工作受到昂贵且耗时的液体提取和LC/MS的阻碍。其他更广泛的影响包括扩大传感器的应用范围，以测量血液、土壤和食品中的污染物。最重要的是，这些努力对于指导和监测补救工作以及开展实地研究具有重要和指导意义。我们认为，这项努力是了解和减少持久性物质在环境中普遍存在的来源和途径的更广泛努力的组成部分。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses the analysis needs for monitoring perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in waste water. Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are bio-accumulative, extremely persistent and toxic; and there is a huge effort surrounding remediation of PFOA and PFOS contaminated areas. Considering the impacts on environment and public health, it is important to monitor PFOA and PFOS. Although there are established LC/MS/MS methods to measure them at low levels, this equipment is expensive and not generally field portable. This research aims at the development of a field and lab deployable ion-selective electrode that permits selective and fast measurement of PFOA and PFOS with a low detection limit at low cost. The project will take advantage of the highly selective and fouling-resistant fluorous membranes recently licensed from the University of Minnesota. The broader impacts of this research are significant as the proposed sensor will provide a fast, easy, sample pretreatment free, selective and economical detection method for environmental monitoring, compliance and remediation efforts, which are currently hampered by costly and time consuming liquid extractions coupled with LC/MS. Additional broader impacts include expanded application of the sensor to measure the contaminant in blood, soil and food. Most importantly, these efforts are important and instructive to direct and monitor remediation and enable in-field research. We view this effort as an integral part of a wider effort to understand and reduce sources and pathways by which the persistent substance has become widespread in the environment.