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可穿戴气相色谱微量分析系统（mGC），用于近实时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系统（PEMM），将是电池供电的，自主的，小/重量轻，足以安装在工人的腰带上，但能够同时个人暴露测量至少10-15个用户可选的挥发性有机化合物每10-15分钟在一个复杂的矩阵的背景挥发性有机化合物。PEMM mGC的性能将依赖于选择性采样/预浓缩的硅微加工设备的集合;集中注射;温度程序化，双柱色谱分离;和“光谱检测”与微传感器阵列。这些将与商业微型泵，可能是一个小型的机载氦气供应，微型阀，接口电路，用于操作仪器和存储暴露数据的嵌入式微控制器，以及用于将数据实时下载到智能手机或远程主机的无线链接相结合。对每种混合物组分的色谱分辨阵列响应模式进行偏移后分析，可以构建详细的时间暴露曲线，用于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。创新的设计和策略，选择性的预浓缩，高分辨率/高速分离，和基于微传感器的检测与化学计量学峰反卷积将在PEMM中实施，操作条件将是可调的，以允许精确测量VOC浓度超过50倍的范围内的任何化合物，从0.1-5倍的建议暴露限制。可实现低至0.05 ppm的检测限。该仪器用于评估人体暴露于VOC的能力将通过一系列模拟场测试来证明，这些测试使用不同复杂性的目标和背景VOC混合物，在NORA定义的建筑，制造，医疗保健和其他部门的工作中代表任务暴露场景。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VOC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。这将主要解决NIOSH跨部门方案中暴露评估和应急准备和响应方面的既定需求/目标。通过在我们的团队中加入一家对这项技术商业化感兴趣的初创公司，我们将促进其向私营部门（和用户社区）的转移，这与NIOSH的研究到实践倡议是一致的。

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.