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Novel monitor paradigm for real-time exposure assessment

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 21, pages 419–426 (2011)Cite this article

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Abstract

A wearable monitor that can reliably, accurately, and continuously measure personal exposure levels of various toxicants would not only accelerate the current environmental and occupational health and safety studies, but also enable new studies that are not possible with the current monitoring technology. Developing such a monitor has been a difficult challenge, and requires innovative sensing science and creative engineering. We have developed, built, and tested a wearable monitor for real-time detection of toxic hydrocarbons and acids in the environment. The monitor is low-cost, accurate, and user friendly. In addition, it can communicate wirelessly with a cell phone in which the monitoring results can be processed, displayed, stored, and transmitted to a designated computer. We have validated the functions and performance of the monitor, and carried out field tests with workers involving waste management, fire overhaul, and floor-cleaning activities, as well as with first- and second-hand smokers. The averaged exposure levels are in agreement with those determined by the standard NIOSH methods. The monitor provides accurate and real-time exposure assessment for the workers involving different activities. The real-time and continuous monitoring capability makes it possible to correlate the exposure levels with different activities and changes in the microenvironments. The monitor provides unprecedented real-time information that will help advance occupational safety and environmental health studies. It may also be used to better protect workers from occupational overexposure to toxic molecules.

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported by NIEH/NIH (#5U01ES016064) through the Genes, Environment and Health Initiative (GEI) program. We are deeply thankful to collaborators Jay A Gandolfi and Jeff Burgess at University of Arizona, Dawn Bolstad-Johnson, Willie Nelson, and Jack Ballentine at Phoenix Fire Department, Christopher Knobbe at Arizona OSHA, who have contributed to this work with suggestions and ideas about the different scenarios to be tested and/or actual field testing. We also appreciate help from Tom Colella at Goldwater Environmental Laboratory, ASU, and John Lemanski, Michael Ochs, and Henry Walsh at Department of EHS, ASU for validation studies of the monitor, and the cooperation from Jeffrey Bender, Stephen Scheufler, Jason Neal, and John Rodriguez at the Hazardous Waste Management Facility, ASU.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, 85287-5801, Arizona, USA

    Indira Negi, Francis Tsow, Kshitiz Tanwar, Lihua Zhang, Rodrigo A Iglesias, Cheng Chen, Anant Rai, Erica S Forzani & Nongjian Tao

  2. School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, 85287-5801, Arizona, USA

    Erica S Forzani & Nongjian Tao

Authors
  1. Indira Negi
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  2. Francis Tsow
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  3. Kshitiz Tanwar
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  4. Lihua Zhang
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  5. Rodrigo A Iglesias
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  6. Cheng Chen
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  7. Anant Rai
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  8. Erica S Forzani
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  9. Nongjian Tao
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Correspondence to Erica S Forzani or Nongjian Tao.

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Supplementary Information accompanies the paper on the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology website

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Negi, I., Tsow, F., Tanwar, K. et al. Novel monitor paradigm for real-time exposure assessment. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 21, 419–426 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2010.35

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