Mid-IR Biogenic Trace Gas Sensor

描述(由申请人提供)：微量反应气体在调节复杂的生物学功能中的作用，如血管松弛、神经传递和炎症，在生物医学研究界受到了相当大的关注，包括因研究NO的生理意义而获得诺贝尔医学奖。目前，由于缺乏可靠的、通用的生物成因气体ppb级仪器，对这种气体和其他痕量气体的作用的实验室研究受到限制。在一个成功的第一阶段计划中，物理科学公司(PSI)、莱斯大学和贝勒医学院表明，可以使用基于室温、量子级联激光的吸收传感在与培养细胞相关的大气中测量内源性CO和NO的产生。目前还没有可用的仪器能够对这些气体进行多组分、时间分辨的测量。在拟议的第二阶段计划中，该团队将开发原型实验室仪器，用于生物医学实验室中相互关联的内源性气体的常规、自动和同时检测。这些仪器将是完全集成的自动传感器，包括热稳定的培养细胞血管、紧凑型光学吸收配置以及软件控制的数据采集和还原。参与机构的生物医学实验室的技术人员将进行广泛的测试和评估，以完善仪器的概念，以便随后的营销和销售。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The role of trace reactive gases in regulating complex biological functions such as vasorelaxation, neurotransmission, and inflammation has received considerable attention in the biomedical research community, including the Nobel Prize in Medicine for research on the physiological significance of NO. Laboratory research into the role of this and other trace gases is presently constrained by the lack of reliable, versatile instrumentation for ppb-levels of biogenic gases. In a successful Phase I program, Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), Rice University, and the Baylor College of Medicine showed that endogenous CO and NO production could be measured in atmospheres associated with cultured cells using room-temperature, quantum cascade laser-based absorption sensing. No presently available instrumentation is capable of multi-species, time-resolved measurements of these gases. In the proposed Phase II program, the team will develop prototype laboratory instruments for routine, automated and simultaneous detection of interrelated endogenous gases in biomedical laboratories. These instruments will be fully integrated and automatic sensors, including thermally-stabilized cultured cell vessels, compact optical absorption configurations, and software controlled data acquisition and reduction. Extensive test and evaluation by technicians in biomedical laboratories of participating institutions will be used to refine the instrument concept for subsequent marketing and sales.