Compact chemical sensor for real-time environmental monitoring of contaminants in water

Oxford HighQ是牛津大学材料和化学系的一个分支，正在开发下一代化学和纳米颗粒传感器。我们的光学微腔核心技术提供了信号强度的基本增强，这将在广泛的应用和市场中提供基于流体的传感的阶跃变化。该公司成立于2017年10月，建立在大学10年的研究基础上。“创新英国”项目将为四个小型远程自主总磷酸盐传感器的建设和现场测试提供支持，用于河流和湖泊的环境监测。一个平行的研发项目将推进该技术，以提供更广泛的分析目标，使该技术能够指定和量化供水中的一系列污染物——这是环境监管部门、供水公司和研究人员面临的一个关键挑战。如果成功，该项目将提供一种低成本、便携、实时的方法来确定和量化自然水道中的污染物，从而实现有针对性的干预，降低水务公司的资本支出和运营成本。然后，这个设备将作为一个平台，我们可以从这个平台上瞄准新出现的污染物，包括杀虫剂、除草剂和供水中的药物污染物。

Oxford HighQ is a spinout from the University of Oxford's Departments of Materials and Chemistry that is developing next-generation chemical and nanoparticle sensors. Our core technology of optical microcavities provides fundamental enhancement of signal strength that will offer a step change in fluid-based sensing across a wide range of applications and markets. The company was incorporated in October 2017 building on 10 years of research within the University.This Innovate UK project will provide support for the construction and field-testing of four miniaturised remote autonomous total phosphate sensors for environmental monitoring in rivers and lakes. A parallel R&D programme will advance the technology to provide greater breadth of analytical targets, allowing the technology to speciate and quantify an array of pollutants in water supplies -- a key challenge for environmental regulatory authorities, water supply companies, and researchers.If successful, this project will provide a low-cost, portable, real-time method for speciating and quantifying pollutants in natural waterways, allowing targeted intervention, reducing capital expenditure and operating costs for water companies. This device would then act as a platform from which we can target emerging contaminants of concern, including pesticides, herbicides, and pharmaceutical contaminants in water supplies.