Rapid Field Trace Detection of Perfluoroalkyl Substance in Water

Due to increasing concerns over long-term effects of PFOS and PFAS on human body, health based values were set by regulatory authoritative bodies for drinking water standard. Currenty lab-based PFOA and PFOS water tests cost $200-$300 per sample with a turnaround time of 2-3 weeks. In this program, 2W iTech LLC proposes to develop a low-cost fieldable sensing technology for detecting trace amounts of PFOA and PFOS in water down to 10 ppt. This unique molecular imprinting based analytical technique, which does not require any complicated instrumentation, will utilize a tiny polymeric chip to measure the concentration of fluorocarbons in aqueous solution. In Phase I, 2W iTech will develop a photonic crystal polymer sensor chip that exclusively binds PFOA and PFOS molecules inside its matrix and produces specific optical signals that can be construed using a UV-Vis spectrometer and correlated to the concentration of PFOA and PFOS in water. The proposed sensor will offer the following advanced attributes: high sensitivity, high specificity, fast detection, ease of operation, low power consumption, zero chemical release, and low operation cost. As a potential customer, Carollo Engineers has shown interest to test the sensor in filed.