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LOW COST SYSTEM FOR LEAD DETECTION IN LEAD PAINT

Award Information
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Branch: N/A
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 18786
Amount: $50,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 1992
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
44 Hunt Street
Watertown, MA 02172
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Dr Michael R Squillante
 Principal Investigator
 (617) 926-1167
Business Contact
Phone: () -
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

LEAD POISONING IN THE UNITED STATED IS A SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEM, ESTIMATED TO AFFECT SOME 3 TO 4 MILLION CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF SIX YEARS OLD. TO PREVENT THIS NUMBER FROM GROWING, EPA HAS UNDERTAKEN THE ROLE OF ENCOURAGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNIQUES TO MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF LEAD IN LEAD PAINT. RADIATION MONITORING DEVICES, INC. PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A MUCH IMPROVED, PORTABLE, X-RAY FLUORESCENCE INSTRUMENT WHICH WILL BE ABLE TO RAPIDLY AND NON- DESTRUCTIVELY MEASURE THE CONCENTRATION OF LEAD IN LEAD PAINT ON THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SURFACES OF BUILDINGS. THE DEVICE WILL BE VERY EASY TO USE AND HAVE A VERY LOW COST OF OPERATION. BY BEING MUCH LIGHTER THAT EXISTING INSTRUMENTS, AND BY HAVING MUCH HIGHER SENSITIVITY, THE PRODUCTIVITY OF INSPECTORS USING THE NEW INSTRUMENT WILL BE GREATLY ENHANCED, DRAMATICALLY LOWERING THE COST OF CONDUCTING LARGE SCALE INSPECTIONS. PRESENT LEAD X-RAY SYSTEMS ARE CUMBERSOME AND EXPENSIVE, IN PART BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY IN CORRECTING THE LEAD SIGNAL CAUSED BY DIFFERENCES IN THE UNDERLYING SUBSTRATES. IN PHASE I, RESEARCH WILL BE DONE TO DEVELOP A NEW METHOD TO AUTOMATICALLY IDENTIFY THE SUBSTRATE (PLASTER, WOOD, ETC.) AND TO INCORPORATE IT INTO A PORTABLE, LABORATORY PROTOTYPE INSTRUMENT.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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