Plug-and-Play Microsystem Enabling Highly Sensitive Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds - Project Summary
This SBIR Phase I project will investigate the technical feasibility of a microfabricated chip
system for enabling on-site or in-field, highly sensitive analysis of volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) in aqueous samples. The system consists of two chips in a tandem configuration. The
first chip is designed to extract VOCs directly from water samples. The extracted VOCs are
concentrated in the second chip, in which the concentrated VOCs can be released on demand
for subsequent analysis. The Phase I specific aims are to design, fabricate, and characterize
prototype chips, and to construct and characterize a proof-of-concept chip system. The final
product will be a plug-and-play sample preparation/concentration microsystem with reusable
chips, as well as having the interface for coupling to portable/handheld VOC analyzers/detectors.
VOCs, including semi-VOCs, are one of the most important classes of environmental
pollutants because of their significant health effects. On-site or in-field, real-time (or near real-
time) measurement of VOCs in water is critical to timely assess environmental contamination, to
develop effective risk management strategies, and to protect environmental and human health.
Although many portable and handheld gaseous VOC detectors are commercially available, they
are unsuitable for on-site or in-field, sensitive aqueous VOC analysis due to the lack of an
automated miniature sampling/precocentration platform that can directly handle water samples.
The proposed microsystem can be coupled to these portable/handheld instruments for
addressing this critical unmet need. Moreover, it can be adjusted to extract and concentrate
VOCs from other liquid samples for food quality/safety testing, biomonitoring, clinical diagnosis,
etc. The microsystem can also be modified for concentration of VOCs from gaseous samples or
for extraction and concentration of VOCs from solid samples. These will open the door to wider
commercial utility.
