CAMBRIAN INNOVATION, INC. — Department of Health and Human Services SBIR Phase I: DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): While arsenic has had broad industrial, agricultural,

Description

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): While arsenic has had broad industrial, agricultural, and medical applications, it is considered a highly toxic substance and its disposal is highly regulated. Arsenic is one of the most pervasive contaminants of drinking water in developing countries, as well as in the regions of the mid- and southwest United States, particularly near contaminated Superfund sites. It has been found to have various detrimental effects to humans in being classified as carcinogenic, immunocompromising, and deleterious to health. While there are methods established to measure arsenic in the field, they often require toxic substances (e.g. mercury) or generate even more hazardous waste (e.g. arsine gas). Current methods require arsenic measurements to be performed in laboratories, where large, bulky instruments are used to evaluate arsenic concentrations. On-site, frequent testing of arsenic can reduce the incident rates of arsenicosis, as well as to gauge the danger that arsenic contamin