Development of low-cost microfluidic device for in situ detection of arsenic in natural water for human consumption

• Grant number: 11/02270-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: September 01, 2011
• End date: December 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Dosil Pereira de Jesus
• Grantee: Renata Mayumi Saito
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 08/53868-0 - Synthesis and chacterization of novel materials strategically structured and organized to be applied in analytical and photonic devices, AP.TEM

Abstract

Arsenic compounds, especially in their inorganic forms, are highly toxic. The contamination of natural water by these species occurs worldwide and can cause serious health problems, like cancer for example. Thus, the present research project intend to develop a low-cost microfluidic device to determine the total concentration of inorganic As(III) and As(V) in natural water. The analytical steps required to the analysis, such as sample pre-treatment, reactions and colorimetric detection will be integrated in a single microdevice. Due to the portability and easiness of handling, these devices will be adequate to in situ monitoring of natural water. Besides, the low consumption of reagents and residues generation bring advantages when compared to the commercial kits currently used to field analysis.