Fast, quantitative analysis of trichloroethylene (TCE) in water

SummaryGroundwater contamination by chlorinated compounds is a significant risk to public healthChlorine containing compounds ranging from pesticides to industrial solvents are slow to degrade through natural pathwaysTheir wide ranging presence is notablefor examplethe industrial solvent trichloroethyleneTCEhas been detected at over fourteen hundred DOD installationstwenty three DOE installationsand thousands of commercial and residential sites nationwideincludingof Superfund sitesAlthough various remediation techniques are under studyall sites would benefit from rapidppb level monitoringThese compounds are widely present at minutelow part per billionppbconcentrationsAt the same timeour water sources are threatened by numerous other pollutants with regulatory limits at ppb levelsCurrently available laboratory based tools that can measure these very low concentrations are expensivecomplexand cumbersome instrumentsThey do not enable the types of rapidfrequenteconomical and broad based testing needed to adequately monitor the nationandapos s water sourcesNext generation capabilities to test water samples at sub ppb for a wide variety of compounds in fewer than five minutes would vastly improve the capabilities of water monitors and researchersThis ability will in turn allow water suppliers to increase monitoring frequency and to implement remediation stepsand will allow researchers to focus on obtaining more data and a better understanding of the health effects of chronic exposureOndaVia is developing the required advanced monitoring technologyFor the multi phase SBIR project envisioned hereOndaVia proposes to developprototypevalidateand commercialize a rapid analysis instrument designed to measure compounds in aqueous solution using surfaceenhanced Raman spectroscopySERSThis instrument relies upon OndaViaandapos s proven and proprietary SERS detection technology that is both sensitive and quantitativeresulting in an easy touserapid analysis instrument with few parts per billion sensitivitySpecific Phase II Aims are focused on delivering a prototype TCE analysis kit capable of detecting TCE atppb in field samplesPhase II success will set the stage for follow onPhase IIIcommercialization with our private sector investors and industry partners Project Narrative Clean water is necessary for a healthy societyyet we are faced with constant new concerns about pollution in our water sources including ever increasing threats from trace pollutants such as chlorinated solvents that are widely present in our water suppliesUnfortunatelyour water managersresearch scientists and government agencies do not have available the types of lowcost high performance analytical tools they need to adequately study and monitor water pollutants at relevant parts per billionppblevelsOndaViaandapos s goal for this SBIR Phase II project is to develop a rapideasy to useeconomical prototype analysis kit that is needed to measure accurately water contamination at ppb levels to boost our countryandapos s ability to monitor and protect our surfacegroundwasteand drinking water sources