SBIR Phase I: Robust Molecular Sensors for Trace Mercury Detection

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将开发新的传感器材料，用于检测水系统中的微量汞，该技术由MetalloSensors授权，正在申请专利。该技术在其目前阶段提供了高灵敏度（检测限低至亚ppb）和选择性（对其他常见的共存金属离子），表明未来有可能开发成便携式，易于使用的设备，用于现场水汞监测。第一阶段项目的目标是开发适用于水分析的新一代传感器分子，同时仍然保持当前版本传感器所实现的独特传感功能。通过一系列测试和优化，这些新分子将被纳入一个原型检测设备，这项研究的更广泛/商业影响是双重的：首先，它将帮助MetalloSensors验证制造廉价、便携、易于使用但精确的荧光检测器的技术可行性，适用于水环境中的快速汞监测;其次，MetalloSensors的创新产品将提供强大的市场竞争力，传统的台式仪器通常价格昂贵且操作复杂。水分析需求的增加和全球对汞污染的关注证明，创新型汞探测器存在着巨大的可持续市场。目前美国汞检测市场规模估计为2.5亿美元/年，而在中国，市场规模可高达15亿美元/年，预计这一数字将在未来大幅增长。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop new sensor materials for detection of trace mercury in water systems, based on a patent-pending technique licensed by MetalloSensors. This technique at its current stage provides both high sensitivity (with detection limit as low as in sub ppb) and selectivity (against other common coexisting metal ions), demonstrating promise for future development into portable, easy-to-use devices for onsite water monitoring of mercury. It is the goal of this Phase I project to develop the new generation of sensor molecules that are suited for water assays, while still maintaining the unique sensing features as achieved for the current version of sensors. These new molecules will be incorporated into a prototype detecting device through a series of tests and optimization.The broader/commercial impacts of this research are two-fold: first, it will help MetalloSensors verify the technical feasibility of manufacturing cheap, portable, easy-to-use, but accurate fluorescence-based detectors, suitable for expedient mercury monitoring in water environments; second, the innovative products of MetalloSensors will offer strong market competition over the traditional bench-top instruments, which are usually expensive and complicated to operate. A substantial, sustainable market exists for the innovative mercury detectors as evidenced by the increasing need of water analysis and global concern of mercury pollution. The current US market size for mercury detection was estimated as $0.25B/year, while in China the market size can be as large as $1.5B/year, and this figure is expected to grow significantly in the future.