Towards licensing of lab on chip technologies for water quality and environmental metrology markets

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This project will develop the commercial potential of lab on chip chemical sensor technologies developed by the National Oceanography Centre Southampton, and the University of Southampton. The lab on a chip sensors work by mixing sample water with a reagent that reacts to form a coloured product with intensity of colour proportional to the target chemical. For example Nitrite mixed with the Griess reagent forms a distinctive pink colour. This mixing is performed in a polymer "chip" in which channels approximately 0.15 mm in diameter are formed. Sample and reagent are moved through these channels with syringe pumps and controlled by miniature valves operated by electromagnetic solenoids, all under software control from bespoke electronics. The intensity of colour and hence the concentration of the chemical is also measured on the "chip" using LEDs and detectors glued into it. The whole system is extremely robust as it has been designed for operation in the deep sea. The systems are now routinely deployed to support NERC science (e.g. in the Macronutrient Cycles Programme). The robustness and excellent performance achieved mean there has been considerable commercial interest from companies looking to manufacture and sell the sensors. We and our commercial contacts estimate that the addressable market, which includes applications outside the marine sector, is approximately £64M/yr. To maximise the commercial potential, and to realise this potential we are seeking to partner with a company via a license agreement. For this to be signed, we need to prove the technology in field trials and demonstrations with the potential licensee(s), improve our documentation, and make some adaptations to the marine sensors so they are more suitable for all the target market applications. These adaptations include allowing function in a wider range of temperatures, where waters are fresh but more turbid (muddy) or where biological fouling is more significant. To recruit potential licensees we will initially work with companies with which we are already in contact but will also publicise the product through workshops at existing industry meetings or exhibitions, at conferences and through publishing in journals read by industry and key user groups.