This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will demonstrate an innovative approach to detection of chlorinated hydrocarbons for continuous, in situ monitoring. Current methods of chemical analysis require that samples of contaminated soil or groundwater be collected and transported to a centralized laboratory for analysis. In the Phase I effort new solid phase pyridine derivatives will be developed which can be incorporated into controlled-release polymers for reagent delivery. The chemical basis for this approach is an outgrowth of the work of Fujiwara who first demonstrated that basic pyridine, when exposed to certain chlorinated hydrocarbons, developed an intense red color. Problems encountered with this assay include volatility of the pyridine reagent an the difficulty of containing it, consumption of the reagents during the reaction with the analyte, and poor long term stability. The proposed effort will eliminate many of these problems by developing solid phase reagent systems that have excellent long term stability when combined with new controlled-release reagent delivery systems, and incorporated into an optical fiber probe. Reagent response to TCE and chloroform will be measured spectroscopically and verified when incorporated into a controlled-release polymer. There is a significant market opportunity for accurate and reliable field deployable analytical instrumentation for in situ, continuous monitoring of chlorinated hydrocarbons. The instrumentation developed will have immediate commercial application for the measurement of groundwater contaminants, monitoring the efficacy of environmental bioremediation efforts, unattended monitoring of stack discharges, and assuring workplace air quality.
