Multiplexed Personal Monitoring of Airborne Toxins

描述(申请人提供)：目前，个人接触环境毒素的定量监测受到费用、不便和缺乏适当技术的限制，但这种监测对于调查低剂量、长期接触杀虫剂或工业毒素等化合物对健康的影响是必要的。我们以前已经证明，通过利用化学功能化的纳米结构表面和液晶(Platypus(技术))，可以从气相中检测到低浓度的半挥发性有机磷农药。然而，需要的是一种同时测量多种化合物暴露的监测器。在这项建议中，我们将论证开发Platypus(定量和同时检测两种不同类别的半挥发性农药(氨基甲酸酯和有机磷))以及区分每一类农药中特定化合物的可行性。该项目开发的技术可用于检测其他半挥发性工业或环境污染物，因此有可能成为广泛使用、方便和廉价的无源监测仪的基础，用于多种化合物的个人暴露评估和环境监测。在这项提案中，我们正在开发一种小型、廉价的可穿戴设备，它将测量一个人在一天到几周的时间里接触到他或她的环境中存在的多种化学物质的情况。这一数据对于将接触特定化合物与对公共健康的不利影响联系起来是至关重要的。

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.