STTR Phase I: Nanoselenium for Simultaneous Detection and Capture of Mercury Vapor in Fluorescent Lighting Technology

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。这一小型企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目的重点是开发一种新技术，以减少荧光灯在整个生命周期中与汞有关的人类健康风险。荧光灯可以破坏并释放其内部的汞，汞是一种已知的神经毒物、环境污染物和对儿童和育龄妇女特别关注的发育毒物。阿斯彭科学公司正与布朗大学和ARCH Venture Partners合作开发纳米硒基产品，以在荧光灯运输、使用、收集和回收过程中与汞蒸气发生反应并捕获汞蒸气。研究重点是：(i)具有成本效益的纳米硒合成，（ii）设计和测试作为盒子或袋子安全衬垫的反应屏障，（iii）研究用于汞检测的反应速率和吸附剂颜色变化，以及（iv）吸附剂在储存使用和处置期间的稳定性。这项研究的更广泛的影响是确保在线性和紧凑型荧光灯的庞大和快速增长的市场中消费者和工人的安全。在家里或在运输过程中损坏的灯释放单质汞蒸气在成人和儿童的直接附近。大约80%的吸入汞蒸汽在肺部被生理吸收，并能够穿过血脑屏障，导致神经系统疾病和发育障碍。阿斯彭的新型吸附剂可以超高容量捕获汞蒸气，减少人类在每年70亿美元的全球荧光灯市场中的暴露，并消除目前更广泛采用节能荧光灯技术的心理和安全障碍。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is focused on the development of a new technology for reducing the human health risks associated with mercury over the life-cycle of fluorescent lamps. Fluorescent lamps can break and release their internal inventory of mercury, which is a known neurotoxicant, environmental pollutant, and developmental toxicant of special concern for children and women of child-bearing age. Aspen Sciences is teaming with Brown University and ARCH Venture Partners to develop nano-selenium-based products to react with and capture mercury vapor during fluorescent lamp shipping, use, collection, and recycling. The research focuses on: (i) cost-effective nano-selenium synthesis, (ii) design and testing of reactive barriers as box or bag safety liners, (iii) study of reaction rates and sorbent color change for mercury detection, and (iv) sorbent stability during storage use and disposal.The broader impacts of this research are to ensure consumer and worker safety in the large and rapidly growing market for linear and compact fluorescent lamps. Lamps broken at home or during shipping release elemental mercury vapor in the immediate vicinity of adults and children. Approximately 80% of inhaled mercury vapor is physiologically absorbed in the lung and is able to cross the blood-brain barrier to cause neurological disorders and developmental impairment. Aspen's new sorbent can capture mercury vapor at ultra-high capacity and reduce human exposure in the $7 billion annual worldwide fluorescent lamp market, as well as remove current psychological and safety barriers to the more widespread adoption of energy-saving fluorescent technologies.