This $933,796 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation, under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041), funds the development of paper-based biosensor test strips to detect soil contaminants such as arsenic and PFAS.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will engage citizen scientists and use bacteria as sensors to produce quantitative readings of contaminant concentrations in soil. Two types of bacteria - E. coli functioning as the sensing front end and S. oneidensis as the electroactive backend - will enable arsenic detection at levels comparable to standards. Experimentation with P. aeruginosa will advance development of a PFAS biosensor. Iterative design of a paper-based sensor suitable for community environmental monitoring is also supported. This award reflects NSF's mission to improve quality of life and economic strength through engineering innovation and was deemed worthy following evaluation of intellectual merit and broader impacts. The period of performance is January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2026.
Generated 1/6/24, 11:31 AM