Compact chemical sensor for real-time environmental monitoring of contaminants in water

Oxford HighQ是牛津大学材料和化学系的一个分支，正在开发下一代化学和纳米颗粒传感器。我们的光学微腔核心技术提供了信号强度的根本增强，这将在广泛的应用和市场中为基于流体的传感提供一个台阶式的变化。该公司于2017年10月在大学内成立，建立了10年的研究。这个创新英国项目将为四个用于河流和湖泊环境监测的远程自主总磷酸盐传感器的建造和现场测试提供支持。一个平行的研发计划将推进该技术，以提供更广泛的分析目标，使该技术能够对供水中的一系列污染物进行分类和量化-这是环境监管机构，供水公司和研究人员的一个关键挑战。如果成功，该项目将提供一种低成本，便携式，实时的方法，用于对天然水道中的污染物进行分类和量化，允许有针对性的干预，减少水务公司的资本支出和运营成本。然后，该设备将作为一个平台，我们可以通过该平台来针对新出现的令人担忧的污染物，包括供水中的杀虫剂，除草剂和药物污染物。

Oxford HighQ is a spinout from the University of Oxford's Departments of Materials and Chemistry that is developing next-generation chemical and nanoparticle sensors. Our core technology of optical microcavities provides fundamental enhancement of signal strength that will offer a step change in fluid-based sensing across a wide range of applications and markets. The company was incorporated in October 2017 building on 10 years of research within the University.This Innovate UK project will provide support for the construction and field-testing of four miniaturised remote autonomous total phosphate sensors for environmental monitoring in rivers and lakes. A parallel R&D programme will advance the technology to provide greater breadth of analytical targets, allowing the technology to speciate and quantify an array of pollutants in water supplies -- a key challenge for environmental regulatory authorities, water supply companies, and researchers.If successful, this project will provide a low-cost, portable, real-time method for speciating and quantifying pollutants in natural waterways, allowing targeted intervention, reducing capital expenditure and operating costs for water companies. This device would then act as a platform from which we can target emerging contaminants of concern, including pesticides, herbicides, and pharmaceutical contaminants in water supplies.