Multiplexed Personal Monitoring of Airborne Toxins

描述（由申请人提供）：个人接触环境毒素的定量监测目前受到费用、不便和缺乏适当技术的限制，但这种监测是调查低剂量、长期接触杀虫剂或工业毒素等化合物所造成的健康影响所需要的。我们之前已经证明，利用化学功能化的纳米结构表面和液晶，可以从气相检测低浓度的半挥发性有机磷农药（鸭嘴兽（技术））。然而，我们需要的是一种能够同时测量暴露于多种化合物的监测器。在本提案中，我们将展示开发鸭嘴兽技术的可行性，该技术用于定量和同时检测两种不同类型的半挥发性农药（氨基甲酸酯和有机磷酸盐），并用于区分每种农药中的特定化合物。本项目开发的技术可用于检测半挥发性的其他工业或环境污染物，因此它有可能作为广泛使用、方便和廉价的被动监测仪的基础，用于多种化合物个人接触评估和环境监测。在这项提案中，我们正在开发一种小型，廉价的可穿戴设备，该设备将提供个体在一天到几周内暴露于其环境中多种化学物质的测量。这一数据对于将接触特定化合物与对公众健康的不利影响联系起来至关重要。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Quantitative monitoring of personal exposure to environmental toxins is currently limited by expense, inconvenience and lack of appropriate technology, yet such monitoring is needed for investigation of health effects caused by low dose, chronic exposure to compounds such as pesticides or industrial toxins. We have previously demonstrated that low concentrations of a semi-volatile organophosphate pesticide can be detected from a vapor phase by utilizing chemically functionalized, nanostructured surfaces and liquid crystals (Platypus( technology). What is needed, however, is a monitor that simultaneously measures exposure to multiple compounds. In this proposal, we will demonstrate the feasibility of developing Platypus( technology for the quantitative and simultaneous detection of two different classes of semi-volatile pesticides (carbamates and organophosphates) and for the discrimination of specific compounds within each class of pesticide. The technology developed in this project can be adapted for detection of other industrial or environmental contaminants that are semi-volatile, and thus it has the potential to serve as the basis for a broadly useful, convenient and inexpensive class of passive monitors for multi-compound personal exposure assessment and environmental monitoring. In this proposal, we are developing a small, inexpensive wearable device which will provide a measurement of an individual's exposure to multiple chemicals present in his or her environment over a period of a day to a few weeks. This data is essential for associating exposure to specific compounds with adverse affects on public health.