I-Corps: Polymeric passive samplers for monitoring hydrophobic organic compounds in the environment

I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是通过开发被动采样技术作为常规监测工具，探索测量土壤和沉积物中污染物的需求。被动采样器提供关于受污染沉淀物场地的暴露和对人类和生态健康的风险的准确信息。方便且经济实惠的被动采样方法可以提高商业实验室的产量，并支持在受污染地点进行更好的一致性、效率和频率的监测计划。通过标准化暴露方法进行常规的被动采样，将通过采取补救办法解决水生生态系统的真正风险，从而减少沉积物管理的时间和成本。被动采样器可用于评估清理项目的进展，帮助发现新出现的环境问题，从而全面改善生活质量。这个i-Corps项目基于聚合物被动采样器的开发，作为监测工具，提供受污染地点水和沉积物中污染物溶解浓度的信息。被动采样技术提供了使用传统分析方法无法检测到的超低水平污染物的准确测量。被动采样器模拟污染物在水生生物中的积累，与传统方法相比，可以更好地表示生态和人类健康风险。聚合物被动采样器使用相对简单，可以插入野外或实验室中受污染的介质中。在采样器部署期间，污染物在聚合物中积累，提供可测量的溶解浓度，而不需要采集水或沉积物样本。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to explore needs for measuring pollutants in soils and sediments through the development of passive sampling technology as a routine monitoring tool. Passive samplers provide accurate information about exposures and risks for human and ecological health at contaminated sediment sites. Convenient and cost-effective passive sampling methods can improve the output of commercial laboratories and support better consistency, efficiency, and frequency of monitoring programs at contaminated sites. Routine application of passive sampling via standardized exposure methods will reduce the time and costs of sediment management by implementing remediation approaches addressing true risks to aquatic ecosystems. Passive samplers can be used for assessing the progress of cleanup projects by helping to detect emerging environmental issues, resulting in overall improvement in the quality of life.This I-Corps project is based on the development of polymeric passive samplers as monitoring tools that provide information about dissolved concentrations of contaminants in the water and sediment at polluted sites. The passive sampling technique provides accurate measurements of contaminants at ultra-low levels undetectable using traditional analytical methods. Passive samplers mimic pollutant accumulation in aquatic organisms, resulting in a much better representation of ecological and human health risks compared to traditional methods. Polymeric passive samplers are relatively simple to use and can be inserted into contaminated media in the field or in the laboratory. During sampler deployment, pollutants accumulate in the polymer, providing a measurable dissolved concentration without the need for water or sediment sample collection.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.