Monitoring Groundwater Contaminants

Chlorinated hydrocarbons represent the most prevalent contaminants in the

subsurface, threatening the quality of groundwater at aquifers. Existing technologies

for monitoring these contaminants require expensive, labor-intensive methods

of sample collection and analysis. The goal of this Phase I research project

is to develop a low-cost, compact, reliable, automated, unattended, and long-term

monitoring system for hydrocarbons in groundwater. Lynntech, Inc., also will

use an innovative sampling system in the field test. The monitoring system

consists of an array-based sensor composed of incrementally different electrically

conducting polymer elements. It will allow the identification and quantification

of organic pollutants present in groundwater. A preconcentrator with a microfluidic

design will be incorporated into the sensing system. This will allow a resolution

into the ppb and ppt levels. The effectiveness of the proposed system will

be evaluated based on its ability to detect hydrocarbons in model and real

groundwater samples. The proposed system will reduce the cost associated with

sampling and contaminant monitoring and provide timely, continuous information.

Also, it will provide the possibility for unattended monitoring of the migration

of contaminant plumes, as well as for monitoring contaminants that breach containment

operations.

There are several markets for this technology. The primary end-users will

be agencies of the federal government (e.g., Department of Energy, Department

of Defense, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) and private industries

that are involved in the monitoring of chemical analytes in groundwater and

subsurfaces. Similar sensors will find wide application in other environmental

remediation processes (e.g., to gauge the effectiveness of remediation efforts;

to effect waste minimization; and to detect the presence of toxic, hazardous,

or otherwise regulated chemicals in waste effluents, drinking water, and other

environmental systems) in the food, beverage, perfume (e.g., for the determination

of odors, flavors, and aromas), agronomic, and clinical industries, as well

as in many other areas, such as the gas and chemical industries and in regulatory

agencies.