Development of a Multianalyte Biosensor Instrument

This Phase I project will develop a multianalyte biosensor field screening instrument (MBFI). The MBFI has the potential to reduce the annual cost of environmental analyses in the United States by more than $20 million and to reduce the analysis turnaround time from approximately 19 days to less than 15 minutes. The major barrier to the development of a biosensor instrument for environmental measurements is the diversity of the environmental market; no one analyte is large enough to justify the development cost of a biosensor instrument. This project will overcome this barrier in two ways. First, the MBFI will use a common disposable biosensor that is capable of eventually being adapted to dozens of analytes. Second, the development cost will be minimized by using the instrument case, electronics, and disposable housing of the Metalyzer 3000TM currently manufactured by Environmental Technologies Group, Inc. Successful completion of this project will result in the development of a battery-operated, hand-held biosensor instrument and a series of disposable biosensors for several applications. The Phase I effort will determine the feasibility of two biosensors, one for phenolic compounds and one for pathogens.