PLATYPUS TECHNOLOGIES LLC — Department of Health and Human Services SBIR Phase II: NIEHS

Description

Platypus Technologies aims to advance the liquid crystalLCbased molecular analytic detection of formaldehyde that it established with SBIR Phase I support to complete the development and integrate its innovative LC based technology into product forms for rapid identification of formaldehyde emissions for short term and time weighted exposureTWAFormaldehyde is a known carcinogenand workplace exposure limits to this compound are enforced by the US Occupational Safety and Health AdministrationOSHAand Environmental Protection AgencyEPADespite its toxicity upon both short term and long term exposureformaldehyde is widely used for manufacturing materials used in residential constructionvehiclesand medical laboratoriesJust recently inthe EPA published new rules to further limit formaldehyde from wood productsIndustries affected by the OSHA and EPA limitsnew construction buildingsautomotiveaerospacemedical laboratories and wood products manufacturingtotal to a $M market opportunity for formaldehyde detectionCurrent devices for detection and monitoring of formaldehydewhich include electrochemical devicescolorimetric detectorsdiffusion badges and sorbent tubes have significant disadvantagesElectrochemical devices are expensive and require calibrationColorimetric detectors produce difficult to interpret resultsWhile diffusion badges do not require a pump like sorbent tubesboth depend on laboratory analysis that can takedaysThe LC based sensors that Platypus technologies invented in Phase I exhibit a striking and readily quantified optical transitionfrom dark to brightwhen exposed to formaldehydeIn Phase IIwe will complete the development of this innovative technology and integrate these new LC materials into two devices that provide unique advantages for formaldehyde detectionwhich include direct and easy to readreal time exposure results with high accuracy at a low costThe first device to be developed in Phase II is a sensor for rapid identification of formaldehyde emission at OSHA s short term exposure limitppm in less thanminutesThe second device to be fabricated is a wearable dosimeter badge to monitor TWA exposure up toppb formaldehyde forhrsAdditionallywe will fabricate an electronic reader with wireless connectivity to read the LC based devices and generate exposure assessment reports that facilitate OSHA s recordkeeping requirementsFollowing completion of Phase II effortsPlatypus Technologies will seek to integrate these devices into a multiplex platform that leverages other LC based chemistries for identification of multiple toxic gases and position the devices for commercialization Equipping individuals with low cost and accurate devices for identifyingmonitoring and assessing personal exposure to toxic chemicals can provide valuable information to identifyaddress or mitigate public health concerns at home and in the workplaceDevices currently on the market for identification and monitoring personal exposure to toxic chemicals have many drawbacksincluding high costburdensome equipment handlingor low accuracyHaving established the feasibility of a novel strategy for fabricating low costhigh accuracyeasy to read devices for identification or personal monitoring of exposure with liquid crystal based sensorwe will complete the development of this disruptive technology to make widespread monitoring of formaldehyde emissions possible and thus inform public health risks related to formaldehyde