Polestar Technologies, Inc. — Department of Commerce SBIR Phase I: The topic (8.2.2R) requires the capability for enabling high sensitive/high precision meas
Polestar Technologies, Inc. — SBIR Phase I award from Department of Commerce.
- Amount
- $94,684
- Agency
- Department of Commerce
- Program / Phase
- SBIR · Phase I
- Solicitation
- 1
- NAICS
- —
- Place of performance
- MA
- Period
- 2012-08-01 → 2013-01-31
Description
The topic (8.2.2R) requires the capability for enabling high sensitive/high precision measurements of calcium concentrates in seawater. The proposal aims to demonstrate the feasibility of a novel high sensitive nanosensor that can be used to determine very low concentrations of calcium in seawater in the presence of large backgrounds calcium concentration. The sensor approach will use the benefits of nanotechnology to increase the dynamic range. It will also use the molecular recognition to achieve high sensor sensitivity and high specificity so that the measurements are not affected by other ions like magnesium. The calcium ion would bind the sensor element and the event will be transducted into an electronic signal, which can be measured by a hand held unit to be developed in Phase II. Phase I results are expected to demonstrate a calcium detection sensitivity of a few µM in the presence of mM concentrations of calcium in salt water.