FIBER GRATING-BASED CHEMOSELECTIVE AND REVERSIBLE SENSOR ARRAY

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): InnoSense LLC (ISL) proposes to investigate an array of selective elements that are optically coupled to light propagation through a set of long period grating (LPG) fibers configured in a parallel architecture. The goal is to study a technique that has the potential for developing a highly sensitive (10 ppb or better) and reliable (one false reading in a million) device. This will allow the first responders to detect metabolites of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) in biological fluids such as urine, saliva or sweat. The LPGs will be coated with chemoselective carbosiloxane polymers that have been designed rationally at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for detecting CWAs specifically using a surface acoustic wave (SAW) platform. This cross-platform utilization of the chemoselective coatings will allow ISL to utilize wavelet transformations to process 3D dataset (wavelength, amplitude and time axes). The sensor response will be post-processed using neural network multivariate algorithm. Protocols have been developed to study performance parameters of the array in spiked artificial urine samples. Studies will also be made to determine the impact of temperature, and urine components (e.g., urea, urochrome and uric acid) at concentrations exceeding upper limit of the normal range in urine. This Fast-Track SBIR Grant Application proposes to study a sensor array for potential use by the first responders. The impact of this work will be detection of chemical warfare agent metabolites in biological fluids such as urine. This sensor array is also an enabling technology for monitoring health care and environmental pollutants. Dissemination of the finding from this study will add to the body of scientific knowledge, spawn subsidiary sensor systems and provide additional commercial/societal benefits.