Monitoring Groundwater Contaminants
Award Information
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Branch: N/A
Contract: EPD04039
Agency Tracking Number: BC3D1-0003
Amount:
$69,978.00
Phase:
Phase I
Program:
SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code:
C3-NCER-D1
Solicitation Number:
PR-NC-03-10275
Timeline
Solicitation Year:
2004
Award Year:
2004
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date):
2004-03-01
Award End Date (Contract End Date):
2004-08-31
Small Business Information
7607 Eastmark Drive, Suite 102, College Station, TX, 77840
DUNS:
184758308
HUBZone Owned:
N
Woman Owned:
N
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged:
N
Principal Investigator
Name: Anuncia Gonzalez-Martin
Title: Senior Research Scientist
Phone: (979) 693-0017
Email: anuncia.gonzalez@lynntech.com
Title: Senior Research Scientist
Phone: (979) 693-0017
Email: anuncia.gonzalez@lynntech.com
Business Contact
Name: Renee Hisaw
Title: Contracts and Grants Manager
Phone: (979) 693-0017
Email: renee.hisaw@lynntech.com
Title: Contracts and Grants Manager
Phone: (979) 693-0017
Email: renee.hisaw@lynntech.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract
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. * Information listed above is at the time of submission. *