Thermo-focusing Chromatography - High Sensitivity Chromatography for Chemical Analysis

Seacoast Science will license, for the purpose of technology transfer, the NIST patent “Recirculating Temperature Wave Focusing Chromatography,” with the goal of successfully implementing the method into a unique, low-cost gas chromatograph for environmental pollution monitoring. In the U.S., there are over 425,000 brownfields and 1,320 Superfund sites where noxious chemicals have been used and unhealthy levels of noxious chemicals may remain in the soil and subterranean water. The noxious vapors, most of which are considered carcinogens; pass through the soil and groundwater into homes, schools, businesses, watersheds, aquifers, and municipal water systems on or near these formerly contaminated sites. EPA estimates that cleanup and redevelopment programs leverage $14 billion in economic benefit and support 60,917 jobs. Thus, the objective is to develop means to monitor remediated sites to achieve productivity while assuring a healthy environment.