A MICROMACHINED CHEMICAL ANALYSIS SYSTEM FOR WASTE SITE CHARACTERIZATION

THE INDENTIFICATION AND QUANTIFICATION OF TOXIC CHEMICALS IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE COST-EFFECTIVE REMEDIATION OF HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CHEMICAL MICROINSTRUMENT IS PROPOSED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS: A SILICON CHIP CONTAINING MULTIPLE MICROMACHINED COMPONENTS THAT WORK TOGETHER TO ATTAIN THE HIGH SELECTIVITY AND SENSITIVITY CHARACTERISTIC OF CONVENTIONAL ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS. THIS CHIP WILL BE THE ENABLING TECHNOLOGY FOR HAND-HELD CHEMICAL ANALYZERS THAT ARE USER-FRIENDLY, INEXPENSIVE, AND BATTERY OPERATED, YET HAVE THE POWER TO PERFORM THE SORT OF CHEMICAL ANALYSIS THAT NOW REQUIRES EXPENSIVE. FRAGILE LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS. THE AIM IN PHASE I WILL BE TO DESIGN AND BUILD CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF THE MICROMACHINED CHIP. THE CIRCUITRY AND ALGORITHMS TO CONTROL THE INDIVIDUAL CHIP ELEMENTS WILL BE DESIGNED AND TESTED, AND TESTS WILL BE PERFORMED TO EVALUATE THE VALIDITY OF THE APPROACH AND TO GUIDE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.