Development of a Microfluidic Paper Analytical Device (uPAD) for Airborne Metals

Details

• Personal Author:
  Henry CS ; Volckens J ; Henry CS ; Volckens J
• Description:
  Morbidity and mortality from occupational respiratory disease are estimated to cost ten billion dollars each year in the U.S. alone. World-wide, such diseases are associated with approximately 425,000 annual occupationally-related mortalities. Yet, despite the high incidence and prevalence of occupational respiratory disease, the paradigm for assessing exposure to occupational aerosol hazards has remained largely unchanged over the last 25 years. This paradigm, designed to support monitoring for regulatory compliance, is both cost and time intensive, as collected samples must be shipped or transported to a laboratory for subsequent gravimetric or chemical analysis, taking from one to two weeks for a typical turnaround. To exacerbate the issue, current exposure assessment methods for many of these hazards lack sufficient detection sensitivity, especially when assessing exposures for task-based activities over a period of minutes to hours. Such limitations can prevent the practicing industrial hygienist from determining the source of a particular hazard, or even whether or not a hazard even exists. Consequently, there is a critical need to improve the sensitivity and timeliness of aerosol exposure assessment methods in occupational settings. This project developed a new technology to quantify exposure to airborne metals in the workplace. The new technology is based upon microfluidic paper analytical devices (mPADs). An mPAD consists of a miniature capillary circuit printed onto ordinary filter paper, allowing for precise analytical chemistry to be conducted directly on the collected sample. We developed mPADs for in-situ analysis of the following metals: Pb, Cu, Mn, Ni, Fe, Cr, Zn, and Cd. This new form of analytic chemistry costs less than $1 per assay and yet was sensitive and specific enough to provide results comparable with the current state-of-the-art (inductively coupled plasma) at a fraction of the cost. Furthermore, mPADs are capable of same-day, in-field use. The mPAD has the potential to be analogous to a gas detector tube, or 'Draeger Tube' for aerosols. Thus, the mPAD shows promise to enable industrial hygienists to conduct exposure assessment faster, cheaper, and simpler than ever before. By increasing the efficiency and economy of hazard monitoring, industrial hygienists will find it easier to recognize, evaluate, and control workplace hazards and thus, improve worker health. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Environment Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Aerosols Airborne Particulates Analytical Chemistry Cadmium Chemical Analysis Copper Exposure Levels Gravimetric Analysis Hazards Industrial Hygienists Iron Laboratories Lead Manganese Metals Monitoring Systems Morbidity Rates Mortality Rates Nickel Pulmonary System Disorders Respiratory Diseases Respiratory System Disorders Risk Factors Sampling Work Environment Worker Health Workers Zinc

  More +
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports   ; Grant Final Reports  
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Final Grant Report ; Final Grant Report
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; OSHA Region 8
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs ; OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health ; Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America ; North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-13
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20052118
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2018-101416
• Citation:
  Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, R01-OH-010050, 2014 Oct; :1-13
• Contact Point Address:
  John Volckens, School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
• Email:
  John.Volckens@colostate.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Cadmium (CAS RN 7440-43-9) ; Chromium (CAS RN 7440-47-3) ; Copper (CAS RN 7440-50-8) ; Iron (CAS RN 7439-89-6) ; Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1) ; Manganese (CAS RN 7439-96-5) ; Nickel (CAS RN 7440-02-0) ; Zinc (CAS RN 7440-66-6) ; Cadmium (CAS RN 7440-43-9) ; Chromium (CAS RN 7440-47-3) ; Copper (CAS RN 7440-50-8) ; Iron (CAS RN 7439-89-6) ; Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1) ; Manganese (CAS RN 7439-96-5) ; Nickel (CAS RN 7440-02-0) ; Zinc (CAS RN 7440-66-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• Performing Organization:
  Colorado State University - Fort Collins
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20110701
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• End Date:
  20140630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:eb5464f93d0d46ba13c06d68cbd03bb3ee2107917a7c046533ab28e389a861da3be8765d474eab753f1f83468c1f8669fa6257d7b6e4a7aafd7125fc01dddae4
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/218691/cdc_218691_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.02 MB ]