Background

PFAs are organic compounds classified as emerging contaminants, widely used in a variety of industrial and consumer products. These compounds are very toxic and can be found in groudwater or surface water used to drink or irrigate.

Pollution from PFAs is a problem of global interest, due to the characteristics of persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity of these pollutants, widely used as additives in a variety of industrial products. The current technique for the determination of PFAs is the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to mass spectrometry, that requires complex and expensive instrumentation and a complicated pre-treatment of the sample.

Technology Overview

The object of the invention is a new method to electrochemically test for these environmental pollutants, based on molecularly imprinted polymers. The method can be used in a portable sensor, capable to measure contaminants on site and can detect environmental pollutants belonging to the PFAs family; in particular Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) and its derivatives.

Specifically, the sensor has a high sensitivity for detection of PFOS and, compared to the most commonly used detection techniques, it has significant advantages in terms of ease in measuring and in limits of detection at low cost ().

Benefits

Ease of measurement
Easely utilized by novice
Large availability of instrumentation
Excellent limits of detection at low cost
Possibility of easy miniaturization and automation of procedures
Can be used on site

Applications

Laboratories of analytical chemistry: detection of PFOS in liquid media, such as environmental water (e.g. lake water, river water, etc.), and in food or biological samples, such as e.g. blood, milk, beverages, etc.
Water suppliers and private citizens: detection of PFOS in environmental water

Opportunity

Open to collaborative projects to further develop the technology and/or licensing.

Electrochemical Sensor for the Detection of PFOS in Water

Patents

IP Status

Seeking