Development of an Inexpensive, Rapid and Highly Sensitive Perchlorate Nanobiosensor

The perchlorate generated over decades has impacted our nation's waters; it is environmentally recalcitrant and potentially toxic. Perchlorate has significant effects on irrigated agriculture; it is detected in vegetables and dairy food products. Perchlorate has emerged as a significant threat to public health. Substantial efforts are devoted to perchlorate removal and also to its identification down to the lowest possible limit of detection (LoD). The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently (in February 2011) announced its decision to set a first-ever national standard for perchlorate. Standard methods for perchlorate detection using ion chromatography or mass spectrometry are costly and time-consuming, and require professional laboratory operators. There is a strong need and opportunity to develop simple and inexpensive analytical methods for rapid field detection of perchlorate. The focus of this project is on development of an simple, inexpensive and highly sensitive nano-biosensor for rapid detection of perchlorate down to 1 ppb. This biosensor will suit field use, laboratory applications, and on-line monitoring; it facilitates cost-effective and convenient monitoring of perchlorate in groundwater, soil, drinking water, food and beverages. It will make important contributions towards improvement of public health. Three primary market segments have been identified for the technology: water quality testing, food safety evaluation, and remediation. In addition, the nano materials developed and investigated in the project for perchlorate biosensor would serve as a protocol for other species-selective bio-interfaces suiting detection of other environmental contaminates (e.g., nitrate).