Department of Defense Contracts
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Title: Benign Biological Agent Simulant
Description: The R&D goals of this Phase I STTR CBD-Army contract is to develop a synthetic, low cost, and benign simulant for biowarfare agents (BWA) to be used in the testing of standoff sensors. Orono Spectral Solutions Inc. (OSS) has performed preliminary work leading to the identification of benign ingredients that, when combined in a predefined mass ratio, mimic UV-Vis and infrared signatures of BG spores. This work was performed under an existing contract (DoD contract # W911SR-06-C-0035). The objective of future investigation is to expand upon this work to 1) complete the development of a material package for BG, Erwinia herbicola, and MS2 bateriophage simulants and 2) develop a method for creating appropriately sized aerosol particles using the ingredients identified in 1).
Title: Mesoporous Oxide Adsorbent Sampling System
Description: The R&D goals of this Phase I STTR CBD-Army contract is to demonstrate the feasibility of an infrared transparent, micro-fluidic sampling system that will lead to a field-deployable detection system capable of detecting low ppb levels of chemical warfare (CW) agents in water. To accomplish this goal, the proposed detection system will combine high surface area, organically-modified mesoporous oxide adsorptive materials that are coated within a micro-fluidic sampling system for CW agent collection and concentration. Detection and identification of the concentrated CW agent will be accomplished by direct analysis of the micro-fluidic device via Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).
Title: Cyanide Detection
Description: OSS is developing a reagentless, field portable sampling method for measuring cyanide in water. The key to the OSS cyanide technology is a proprietary film that quantitatively captures cyanide from solution. Once immobilized, cyanide is measured using the characteristic peak at 2171 cm-1 in the infrared spectrum. By using a reactive film and analyzing the unique cyanide peak, the OSS method minimizes the effect of interferences that complicate traditional methods. We have applied the reactive film to infrared transparent membranes to create a rapid method capable of detecting cyanide at the ppb level. This technology is being developed for the Department of Defense Tri Service Water Quality Standard as well as for EPA Federal Drinking Water Standards.
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