SBIR Phase I: Nutrient Analyzer with Integrated Optics and Glass-Diaphragm Pump for Field Studies

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将评估开发比色场分析仪的可行性，该分析仪将自动监测农业径流、废水沃茨、河流和河口中的无机营养物质，并提供模拟环境中营养物质分布所需的数据。 程序？的长期目标是开发一种可以测量硝酸盐，亚硝酸盐，铵和正磷酸盐的仪器。 该仪器将设计用于长时间无人值守的现场操作，并将在适当的灵敏度限制下进行实时测量。其操作将基于经批准的比色方法。 它将完全由与相关化学物质兼容的材料（熔融石英）制成，每次测量仅需要微升试剂，并将集成一个永远不需要重新对准或校准的光学分析部分。 这项研究的广泛/商业影响是显而易见的，因为最初的市场预计将由海洋学和环境科学领域的研究人员组成。 公众将从这项工作中受益，因为将以具有成本效益的方式测量基本水质参数，并将收集解决营养物地球化学中重要环境变异性所需规模的全面时间数据。 营养盐浓度和浓度的空间和时间变化，为评估河流，湖泊，河口和海洋环境的生物活性提供了视角。 小企业和NSF资助的研究中心之间的合作成果将被流域监测机构，市政当局和监管机构采用。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will evaluate the feasibility of developing a colorimetric field-analyzer that will autonomously monitor inorganic nutrients in agricultural runoff, waste waters, rivers, and estuaries, and provide the data necessary to model nutrient distribution in the environment. The program?s long-term goal is to develop an instrument that can measure nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, and orthophosphate. This instrument will be designed for prolonged unattended field operations and will perform real-time measurements with the appropriate sensitivity limits. Its operation will be based on approved colorimetric methodologies. It will be made entirely of a material (fused silica) compatible with the associated chemistries, will require only microliters of reagent per measurement, and will integrate an optical analytical section that will never require realignment or calibration. The broader/commercial impacts of this research are evident in that the initial market is expected to be comprised of researchers working in the field of oceanography and environmental sciences. The public-at-large will benefit from this work as essential water quality parameters will be measured in a cost-effective way, and comprehensive temporal data at the scale needed to resolve important environmental variability in nutrient biogeochemistry will be collected. Nutrient concentration and the spatial and temporal change in concentration, provide perspective for assessing the biological activity of streams, lakes, estuaries, and oceanic environments. The en product resulting from this collaborative effort between a small business and a NSF-funded research center will be adopted by watershed monitoring agencies, municipalities, and regulatory bodies.