Wearable Microsystem for Continuous Multi-Vapor Monitoring

描述(由申请人提供)：该项目的主要目标是开发和表征一种可穿戴式气相色谱微量分析系统(MGC)，用于近乎实时地识别和量化工作环境中遇到的挥发性有机化合物(VOC)复杂混合物的成分。拟议的MGC被称为个人暴露监测微型系统(PEMM)，它将由电池供电、自主、足够小/轻，足以安装在工人的腰带上，但能够在复杂的背景VOC矩阵中每10-15分钟同时测量至少10-15个用户可选择的VOC。PEMM MGC的性能将依赖于一系列硅微制造器件，用于选择性采样/预浓缩、聚焦进样、程序升温双柱色层分离以及利用微传感器阵列进行光谱检测。这些设备将与商用迷你泵、可能的小型车载氦气供应器、迷你阀、接口电路、用于操作仪器和存储曝光数据的嵌入式微控制器以及用于即时下载数据到智能手机或远程主机的无线连接结合在一起。对每个混合物组分的色层解析的阵列响应模式的轮班后分析将允许构建详细的时间暴露曲线，以便与职业暴露限值或流行病学研究的暴露频率和强度分类进行比较。PEMM将采用创新的设计和策略，实现选择性预浓缩、高分辨率/高速分离以及基于微型传感器的检测和化学峰去卷积，并且操作条件将可调整，以实现对任何化合物的VOC浓度的精确测量，范围从建议暴露限值的0.1-5倍到~50倍。低至0.05ppm的检测下限是可以实现的。该仪器评估人体接触VOCs的能力将通过一系列模拟现场测试来展示，该测试使用不同复杂性的目标和背景VOC混合物，在代表Nora定义的建筑、制造、医疗保健和其他部门的工作的任务暴露场景中。成功的项目将产生一种具有前所未有的能力的工具，用于测量工人对VOCs的暴露，包括时间分辨率、特定分析物的数量和每次测量的成本。这将主要满足NIOSH在暴露评估和应急准备和响应方面的跨部门计划中所述的需求/目标。通过在我们的团队中包括一家表示有兴趣将这项技术商业化的初创公司，我们将促进将其转移到私营部门(和用户社区)，与NIOSHs的研究实践倡议保持一致。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The broad goal of this project is to develop and characterize a wearable gas chromatographic microanalytical system (mGC) for near-real-time recognition and quantification of the components of complex mixtures of volatile organic compounds (VOC) encountered in working environments. The proposed mGC, referred to as a Personal Exposure Monitoring Microsystem (PEMM), will be battery operated, autonomous, and small/light-weight enough to mount on the belt of a worker, yet capable of simultaneous personal exposure measurements of at least 10-15 user-selectable VOCs every 10-15 minutes in a complex matrix of background VOCs. The performance of the PEMM mGC will rely on an ensemble of Si-microfabricated devices for selective sampling/preconcentration; focused injection; temperature-programmed, dual-column chromatographic separation; and 'spectral detection' with a microsensor array. These will be combined with a commercial mini-pump, possibly a small on-board He gas supply, mini-valves, interface circuitry, an embedded microcontroller for operating the instrument and storing exposure data, and a wireless link for on-the-fly downloading of data to a smartphone or remote host computer. Post-shift analysis of the chromatographically resolved array response patterns for each mixture component will permit construction of detailed time-exposure profiles for comparison with occupational exposure limits or classification of exposure frequencies and intensities for epidemiologic studies. Innovative designs and strategies for selective preconcentration, high-resolution/high-speed separation, and microsensor-based detection with chemometric peak deconvolution will be implemented in the PEMM, and operating conditions will be adjustable to permit accurate measurements of VOC concentrations over a ~50-fold range for any compound, spanning from 0.1-5 times the recommended exposure limits. Detection limits as low as 0.05 ppm will be achievable. The capability of this instrument for assessing human exposures to VOCs will be demonstrated through a series of mock-field tests using target and background VOC mixtures of varying complexity in task-exposure scenarios representative of jobs in NORA-defined construction, manufacturing, health care, and other sectors. The successful project will yield a tool with unprecedented capabilities for measuring worker exposures to VOCs, in terms of temporal resolution, the number of specific analytes, and the cost per measurement. This will address stated needs/goals primarily in NIOSH cross-sector programs in Exposure Assessment and Emergency Preparedness and Response. By including a start-up company on our team with expressed interest in commercializing this technology, we will facilitate its transfer to the private sector (and user community), consistent with NIOSHs Research-to-Practice initiative.