STTR Phase I: Integrated Water Quality Monitoring System

该小型企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目旨在开发一种传感套件，能够长期监测地下水和水产养殖系统，使用新开发的技术取代传统的膜技术。野外生物学家和水产养殖者面临的最大问题之一是无法防止“鱼类死亡”。 造成这些死亡的潜在原因包括生活垃圾、工业废水或大雨造成的地下水污染，所有这些都溶解了氧气（DO），这是水生生物生命所必需的主要气体。通过持续监测，生物学家可以对低DO浓度或影响DO的因素发出警报，从而可能防止死亡。然而，由于人员配置和设备的限制，人员的连续监测并不现实。 目前可用于测量DO的仪器的缺点在于，它们利用了快速结垢的膜，并且必须更换以保持准确的读数。 该技术可用于连续监测：（1）水产养殖生产，（2）濒危物种的水质，（3）工厂污水点以上和以下的水质，（4）无法每日/每周/每月采样的偏远地区的水质，以及（5）符合EPA指南。 此外，该技术的充分开发的应用可用于控制/调节排放（1）在废水处理设施，（2）在工厂和加工厂，（3）在农场，和（4）在发电厂冷却水排放点。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project aims to develop a sensory suite that is capable of long-term monitoring of groundwater and aquaculture systems, using a newly-developed technology that replaces conventional membrane technology. One of the largest problems facing field biologists and aquaculturists is the inability to prevent "fish kills". Potential causes for these kills include ground water contamination from domestic wastes, industrial effluents, or large rain events, all of which dissolve oxygen (DO), the primary gas necessary for life in aquatic organisms. Given continuous monitoring, biologists could be alerted to low DO concentrations, or factors effecting DO, and thus potentially prevent a kill. However, continuous monitoring by personnel is not practical because of staffing and equipment constraints. Instruments currently available to measure DO fail in that they utilize a membrane that rapidly fouls and must be replaced to maintain accurate readings. This technology could be used to continuously monitor: (1) aquaculture production, (2) water quality for endangered species, (3) water quality above and below factory effluent points, (4) water quality in remote areas that are inaccessible for daily/weekly/monthly sampling, and (5) compliance with EPA guidelines. Additionally, fully developed applications of this technology could be used to control/regulate discharge (1) at wastewater treatment facilities, (2) at factories and processing plants, (3) on farms, and (4) at power plant cooling water discharge points.