Commercialization of Novel Silicon Microslit Filters for Microplastic Contamination Testing

摘要 淡水和海洋中的微塑料（MP）污染环境是一个日益严重的问题， 现在在大众媒体和科学文献中都得到了广泛的认可。关于议员的级别， 在食物和当地沃茨以及人体组织中发现。几个政府监管机构 已经（或正在）实施强制性MP饮用水检测，包括 加州、加拿大和一些欧盟国家。该SBIR项目第二阶段解决了以下需求： 改进了用于捕获和分析MP的工具和相关服务。 我们的第一阶段SBIR奖项确立了我们（SiMPore）硅纳米膜的实用性， 用于捕获和分析MP的微米级矩形孔（“微缝过滤器”）。我们证明 在检测消费者饮料中的MP以及在罗切斯特市的整个空间地图中的MP的实用性 (NY)水系统.我们创建了一个新的企业（ParVerio），将MP测试服务商业化， SiMPore膜。我们根据客户的声音数据建立产品的功能， 参与国际MP检测实验室验证研究，并正在使用大型仪器 供应商作为产品营销的共同开发合作伙伴。第二阶段项目将推动 微缝过滤器的制造，自动将其包装成13 mm圆盘， 我们正在开发现有的真空过滤设备，并开发用于快速MP筛选和过滤器分析的外围设备。 我们将扩大我们的纳米膜生产，以多晶圆批次，以达到成本的良好目标，在排队 确定价格水平。我们将开发一种工艺， 使用拾取和放置机器人技术、精密胶合和热固化来制造坯件和纳米膜芯片。我们 我还将开发两个周边产品：1）一个机加工的25 x75 mm足迹显微镜载玻片， 三个13 mm圆盘;和2）具有软件、读数和跨膜功能的专有过滤装置 用于快速水样筛选的压力传感器。第二个设备将自动识别 样品与碎片和生产最佳样品进行分析。 通过分包合同，我们将支持分拆出来的ParVerio和大学的新型最终用途应用程序 罗切斯特（UR）ParVerio将开发MP挑战测试（NSF/ANSI 42颗粒I类 降低标准）作为评估过滤产品MP去除效率的服务。在UR， 麦格拉思和诺克斯实验室将开发热双折射使用微缝过滤器作为一种低成本，标签免费 MP识别方法。热双折射的成功开发将成为 Parverio服务和产品，并大大增加了进行MP分析的最终用户的数量 因为仪器成本低。 该第二阶段项目将支持SiMPore的微缝过滤器的商业化，以满足 扩大对MP捕获和分析产品及相关服务的需求。我们的产品将受益于 越来越多的有关水务当局、监管机构和研究人员致力于了解 我们的目标是减少MP污染的范围，并减轻其对健康和环境的影响。

Abstract Environmental pollution by microplastics (MPs) in fresh water and oceans is a growing problem that is now well-recognized in both the popular media and scientific literature. Concerning levels of MPs have been found in food and local waters, as well as in human tissues. Several government regulatory bodies have (or are in the process of) implementing mandatory MP drinking water testing, including the State of California, Canada, and a number of EU countries. This Phase II SBIR project addresses the need for improved tools and related services for capturing and analyzing MPs. Our precedent Phase I SBIR award established the utility of our (SiMPore's) silicon nanomembranes with micron-scale rectangular pores (“microslit filters”) for the capture and analysis of MPs. We demonstrated utility in detecting MPs in consumer beverages and throughout a spatial map of the City of Rochester (NY) water system. We created a new venture (ParVerio) commercializing MP testing services based on SiMPore's membranes. We established products' features according to voice-of-customer data, are participating in an international MP detection lab validation study, and are engaging a large instrument vendor as co-development partner for product marketing. This Phase II project will advance the manufacturing of microslit filters, automate their packaging into 13 mm discs for compatibility with existing vacuum filtration devices, and develop peripherals for rapid MP screening and filter analysis. We will scale our nanomembrane production to multi-wafer batches to reach cost-of-good targets in lined with identified pricing levels. We will develop a process for combining injection-molded 13 mm disc blanks and nanomembrane chips using pick-and-place robotics, precision glueing, and thermal curing. We will also develop two peripheral products: 1) a machined 25x75 mm footprint microscope slide to hold three 13 mm discs; and 2) a proprietary filtration apparatus with software, readouts, and transmembrane pressure sensors for rapid water sample screening. This second device will automate the identification of samples with debris and the production of optimal samples for analysis. Through subcontracts, we will support novel end-use applications at spin-out ParVerio and the University of Rochester (UR). ParVerio will develop a MP challenge test (NSF/ANSI 42 Particulate Class I Reduction standard) as a service for assessing MP removal efficiency of filtration products. At UR, the McGrath and Knox labs will develop thermal birefringence using microslit filters as a low-cost, label free approach for MP identification. The successful development of thermal birefringence would become a Parverio service and product and dramatically expand the number of end-users doing MP analysis because of low instrument costs. This Phase II project will support the commercialization of SiMPore's microslit filters to meet the expanding needs for MP capture and analysis products and related services. Our products will benefit a growing number of concerned water authorities, regulatory bodies, and researchers working to understand the scope of MP pollution and to mitigate its impacts on health and the environment.