SBIR Phase I: Development of a new ELISA for detection of PFAS in soil and water

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The broader impact of this SBIR Phase I Project is to improve environmental testing. Once class of contaminants is PFAS (Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances), associated with high cholesterol levels, thyroid disease, certain cancers, and pregnancy-related problems. Current testing costs $300 per sample and offers low throughput is low at 30 samples per day. The proposed project develops a test that would cost $50 per sample (6X reduction) and could test about 120 samples per day (4X increase). It could initially offer a rapid, low-cost qualitative screening tool, allowing users to determine areas of concern, hot spots, detection during emergency response and testing during mitigation efforts. The proposed project will develop a novel immunoassay in the form of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the detection of PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid), two of the most abundant PFAS in soil and water. Currently, PFAS testing involves laboratory-based, costly LC-MS (Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry) methods. An antibody test such as an ELISA has specificity to the target compound as well as any similarly structured compounds. Thus, the test will detect multiple species of the perfluorinated compounds. During the development of PFAS ELISA, verification testing will be done in an EPA lab using LC-MS to verify the species that can be detected by the ELISA test along with the accompanying levels of detection. The research will include determination of the appropriate immunogens and haptens for this application, antibody production, and screening of antibody for specificity and sensitivity. The goal is to improve PFAS detection sensitivity to 50 ppt. Once technical feasibility of detection is demonstrated, the antibodies can be used to develop more complete assays using test strips or magnetic particles.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.