Lab-on-a-chip sensor for monitoring of oceanographic chemical parameters

In this Phase I SBIR effort, HJ Science & Technology proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of an integrated and fully automated lab-on-a-chip (LOC) sensor capable of autonomous and in-situ high sensitivity and precision measurement of oceanographic chemical parameters. Our innovation stems from our patent pending valve-less fluidic switching (VLFS) technology that we have developed for a myriad of microfluidic automation applications. The LOC sensor is compact and inexpensive with a full automation capability, specifically designed to perform autonomous measurements with sensitivity and precision that are only currently achievable with laboratory-based instruments. During Phase I, we will develop the LOC sensor to meet the precision requirement of measuring chloride, bromide, sodium, calcium, sulfate, sulfide, and conductivity. During Phase I Option, we will integrate the commercially available miniature temperature, pH, and dissolve oxygen sensors to our LOC sensor. The overall Phase I goal is to determine the feasibility for the development of the ruggedized LOC sensor that can be integrated into a shipboard corrosion control system. We will demonstrate this feasibility through simultaneous sensing of all the key oceanographic chemical parameters in a laboratory environment in order to meet the design and performance metrics required for in-situ monitoring.