Many sites with ground and/or surface water pollution have been identified across the United States. For site characterization, exposure and risk assessment as well as remediation monitoring, it is important to analyze the environment for toxic contaminants at trace levels. However, this sensing is often expensive, especially when attempting...

Issues concerning environmental and human health are often dynamic and multifaceted; requiring more rapid and comprehensive methods for data acquisition to help with formulating a strategic or diagnostic approach. Ion chromatography is a common technique to quantify anions in aqueous matrices. However, quantifying multiple anions for a diverse range...

The entire human food system is photosynthesis-based, i.e. it originates as plant matter/biomass. Contrary to popular perception, domestic animals are not the most inefficient link in the human food chain, photosynthesis in plants is. While the theoretical energy efficiency of photosynthesis is about 26%, when you take into account nonabsorbable incident...

­Background Bitumen, also known as asphalt, is a mixture of hydrocarbons and is used in roads, runways, bridge decks, roofs, and in other waterproofing materials. In the construction industry, recycling asphalt pavement has both economic and environmental benefits. Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), which is typically prepared from old roads, can...

­Algae growth commonly occurs on materials, such as building materials, and can lead to staining of the material and a decrease in the material’s durability. This can be a particular problem in areas with warm, wet climates. In a specific scenario, algae growth on roof shingles results in visible black stains affecting roof aesthetics and...

Glucose, oxygen, and extracellular pH are important components of human metabolic processes -- many diseases are associated with glucose transport and metabolic disorders including diabetes and cancer. Monitoring glucose and cell metabolism can provide invaluable information for understanding these diseases. There are many assays and sensors for glucose,...

Glucose and oxygen are important components of human metabolic processes -- many diseases are associated with glucose transport and metabolic disorders including diabetes and cancer. Monitoring glucose and cell metabolism can provide invaluable information for understanding these diseases. There are many assays and sensors for both glucose and oxygen,...

The accurate measurement of potassium ion levels in biological samples is essential given the impact such ion levels have on many aspects of homeo-stasis. Normal potassium levels are important for the maintenance of heart and nervous system function. Traditionally, potassium ions have been measured in plasma or serum using ion-selective electrodes,...

The efficiency of biofuel production depends on the photosynthetic activity of microbes; to maximize their growth it is necessary to continually monitor the environmental conditions. Traditional monitoring methods (such as using electrodes to measure CO2 consumption and/or O2 generation) are typically time- and labor-intensive, have low throughput,...

Accurate detection and diagnosis of infectious diseases is paramount to appropriate treatment and better outcomes. Despite tremendous efforts to advance new diagnostic techniques, there are still critical gaps in the healthcare system in quickly diagnosing and responding to infectious diseases. Current diagnostic technologies identify pathogens by detecting...