A HAND-HELD LEAD DETECTOR

DURING THE MID-EIGHTIES, APPROXIMATELY THREE MILLION CHILDRED BETWEEN SIX MONTHS AND FIVE YEARS OLD HAD POISONOUS BLOOD LEAD CONCENTRATIONS DUE TO PAINT. THERE IS RISK FOR ADULTS IN THE PAINT, AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURING, AND CERAMIC INDUSTRIES. THE NATION COULD SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF LEAD POISONING IF ONE WERE ABLE TO MEASURE LEAD USING A INEXPENSIVE, PORTABLE DEVICE. CURRENT LEAD MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES ARE GRAPHITE FURNACE ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY, X-RAY FLUORESCENCE, OR ANODIC STRIPPING VOLTAMMETRY (ASV). NONE OF THESE METHOD SATISFY SIZE, COST, AND ACCURACY CONSTRAINTS FOR A FIELD DEVICE. ONLY ASC AS THE POTENTIAL TO BE PORTABLE YET SELECTIVE ENOUGH FOR MININUM SAMPLE PREPARATION. ADVANCES IN MICROELECTRODES AND MICROPROCESSORS ARE A VITAL PART OF THE TECHNOLOGY FOR A HAND-HELD DETECTION DEVICE. A SPECIALLY CONSTRUCTED ARRAY OF METAL MICROELECTRODES WILL BE USED FOR STRIPPING (CONCENTRATING) AND DETECTING THE LEAD FROM PAINT. A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN THE ASV WAVE FORM SIMPLIFIES THE CORRESPONDING CONTROL CIRCUITRY. THE ELECTOSYNTHESIS COMPANY, INC.'S OBJECTIVE IS TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF CREATING A HAND-HELD LEAD DETECTOR BASED ON MICROELECTRODE TECHNOLOGY. THEY WILL EVALUATE ELECTRODE DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION, AND PERFORMANCE. THE DEVICE WILL BE ABLE TO QUICKLY DETERMINE LEAD IN PAINT RESIDUES AS WELL AS FROM OTHER SOURCES.