DEVELOPMENT OF INSTRUMENTS TO MEASURE HUMAN EXPOSURE

RECENT ADVANCES IN MICROELECTRONICS, CHEMICAL SENSORS, AND ELECTROANALYTICAL CHEMICAL METHODS ARE COMBINED TO PRODUCE ANEW CAPABILITY FOR PERSONAL EXPOSURE MONITORS (PEM'S). PEM'S HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE TOOLS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF HUMAN EXPOSURE TO A VARIETY OF TOXIC AGENTS IN OUTDOOR, IN-TRANSIT, AND INDOOR MICROENVIRONMENTS. THE SMALL PEM'S TO BE DEVELOPED INCLUDE A COMPUTER FOR INSTRUMENT CONTROL AS WELL AS DATA LOGGING. THE SENSORS UTILIZE DIFFERENTIAL ELECTROANALYTICAL METHODS SO THAT INCREASED VERSATILITY, SENSITIVITY, AND SELECTIVITY CAN BE ACHIEVED IN A SMALL, LOW-POWER SENSOR. THE IMPACT OF MODERN ELECTRONIC AND CHEMICAL SENSOR TECHNOLOGY ON THE HEALTH SCIENCES WILL BE ASSESSED, ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE ASSESSMENT OF HUMAN EXPOSURE TO TOXIC AGENTS (AIRBORNE). THE RESEARCH IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MICROINSTRUMENTATION THAT CAN BE USED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF APPLICATIONS.