Project Grant DESC0020837

This $298,143 National Science Foundation project grant will support the development of a portable instrument for measuring poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by the University of Texas at Arlington from September 2022 through August 2025. PFAS are man-made chemicals used in firefighting foams and cleaning products that accumulate in the environment and pose health risks. Typically analyzed using expensive laboratory equipment, this new portable instrument aims to reliably measure...

Biota Inc. received a $306,789 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) under the Environmental Health program (CFDA 93.113), effective August 1, 2025 through January 31, 2026. The project delivers the development and proof-of-concept validation of the first at-home lateral flow assay (LFA) for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) detection. The innovative diagnostic system integrates magnetic nanoparticle pre-concentration technology to...

The National Science Foundation awarded Aqua Science LLC a $255,751 Project Grant under the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program to develop new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for detecting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in soil and water. The grant period runs from April 15, 2022 through March 31, 2023. Under this award, Aqua Science will develop novel ELISAs to detect perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), two prevalent...

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Integrative Activities (CFDA 47.083) Project Grant award of $384,660 to Lake Superior State University will support the acquisition of a micro X-ray fluorescence (?XRF) spectrometer with remote operation capabilities. The ?XRF instrument will enable high-resolution imaging and elemental analysis to benefit a consortium of 14 researchers across eight institutions and their collaborators. The ?XRF will facilitate external research, education, and industrial...

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...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a $968,072 Project Grant under the Geographic Programs - Columbia River Basin Restoration (CFDA 66.962) program to The Freshwater Trust (TFT) on November 15, 2024. The funding will support TFT's expansion of a high-resolution, watershed-level mercury monitoring network in the Willamette River Basin within the broader Columbia River Basin. The project aims to characterize spatiotemporal trends in mercury levels and engage community scientists...

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) awarded Xcellassay, Inc. a $306,872 Project Grant under the Environmental Health (CFDA 93.113) federal grant program. The grant funding will support the development and characterization of a hand-held, bioassay-based test strip for rapid, in-field detection of water contamination by endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The goal is to create a 1 x 1.5 cm detection strip printed with 20 nuclear receptor sensors that can be...

Federal Grant Award Summary Materials Nova Limited Liability Company received a $314,745 Project Grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences under the Environmental Health program (CFDA 93.113), awarded September 17, 2025, with completion targeted for August 31, 2027. The award supports the development of an ultra-sensitive, rapid, point-of-use (POU) mercury sensor designed to detect toxic mercury contamination in freshwater sources. The deliverable is a portable,...

The Department of Energy Office of Science awarded Giner Inc. a $199,996 project grant under the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program (CFDA 81.049) to develop total residual oxidant (TRO) sensor technology. The technology will enable continuous monitoring and control of chlorination throughout water treatment systems, including pre-treatment, post-treatment, and maintenance. By June 2022, Giner Inc. will deliver TRO sensors and the associated control systems to optimize chlorine dosing...

Aqua Science LLC received a $1.23M Cooperative Agreement award from the National Science Foundation's Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084) effective June 1, 2025, through May 31, 2027. This Phase II SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) project focuses on developing and commercializing an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the rapid detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water. The ELISA technology will serve as a cost-effective...