SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- R&D Project to Improve the Prototype High Surface Area Solid Phase Microextraction (HSA-SPME) Device
- Notice Date
- 7/27/2009
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Quantico Contracts Unit, FBI Engineering Research Facility, FBI Academy, Quantico, Virginia, 22135
- ZIP Code
- 22135
- Solicitation Number
- LDQ001986
- Archive Date
- 8/18/2009
- Point of Contact
- Lynda M. Theisen, Fax: 703-632-8480
- E-Mail Address
-
Lynda.Theisen@ic.fbi.gov
(Lynda.Theisen@ic.fbi.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation issues this sources sought notice to conduct market research for information and planning purposes to determine the existing market capability of potential small businesses (including certified 8(a), Small Disadvantaged, and HUBZone firms; veteran and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, and women-owned small businesses) capable of performing a study on the flow dynamics necessary to enhance volatile organic chemical (VoC) uptake under high flow conditions in a chip-based design. 1. BACKGROUND Solid-Phase Microextraction (SPME) has been widely exploited for trace-level chemical sampling both in the gas and liquid phase. Recently, a high surface area SPME (HSA-SPME) operating at a high flow rate of 3.6 L min" and with a sampling time of a few seconds has beeh developed for efficient uptake of volatile organic compounds (VoCs). Improvements in collection efficiency relative to conventional SPME have been obtained that result in final detection limits for VOCs that are two orders of magnitude lower (0.2-6.9 pptrc) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) as an analyzer. However, further improvement is still required to achieve performance comparable to that of canines. This project will proceed to conduct R&D activities to optimize the current HSA-SPME design to further improve the detection sensitivity at high flow rates. The work will cover understanding the current technical hurdles that inhibit the sampler from achieving the desired collection and desorption efficiency, as well as redesigning and testing it based on the findings. The technical achievements from this project are expected to lay a strong foundation for the design and implementation of a light-weight and pocket-size portable VOC sampler based on chip technology. 2. PROJECT GOAL AND OBJECTIVES The goal of this research project is to improve the prototype high surface area solid phase microextraction (HSA-SPME) device by studying the flow dynamics necessary to enhance volatile organic chemical (VoC) uptake under high flow conditions in a chip-based design. The specific objectives of this research project are to: • model and optimize the air flow dynamics within the current HSA-SPME device, • increase the surface area while keeping the current geometry fixed to enhance the VOC uptake, • enhance affinity of specific analytes using arrays with different polarities, and • deliver an advanced prototype for further testing and analysis. 3. TECHNICAL APPROACH The final detection limit is determined by collection and desorption efficiencies of the sampler which are favored by a high mass transfer rate. The latter is primarily determined by the following factors: • airflow dynamics inside the sampler; • the boundary layer above the collection surface; • the collection surface area; • the collection surface affinity to the target analytes; • and, the heating efficiency for desorption. Among these factors, it is well understood that a higher collection surface area will favor good collection efficiency, and that raising the temperature up to a certain level tends to increase the desorption efficiency. For conventional SPME, airflow dynamics inside the sampler affect the effective thickness of the boundary layer and the relationship is well understood. However, this relationship is not self-evident for the HSA-SPME since the airflow dynamics vary with the orientation of the collection surface in the air stream. This needs to be optimized to achieve desirable performance. Surface affinity is a critical parameter for absorption/desorption, and may also be exploited for separating VOCs based on polar preferences. This project will focus on the optimization of air flow dynamics inside the sampler and the collection surface affinity, as well as enhancement of the collection surface area. 4. AIR FLOW DYNAMICS MODELING AND SIMULATION First, modeling of the airflow velocity, direction, and profile based on the current design will be desired to understand the impact of these parameters on the boundary layer. As a consequence, the relationship between these parameters and collection efficiency will be determined. The findings will guide the modification of airflow parameters and hardware design for optimization. Second, the collection efficiency of coil collector wiring will be compared with that of linear collector wiring. For the former, the boundary layers at different parts of the surface are expected to vary due to the difference in local airflow velocity and direction. Only a part of the surface (highlighted in yellow) is subject to the pressure created by the airflow, there is uncertainty as to whether enough pressure is created on the other part of the exposed surface (highlighted in dark) to ensure a good collection. It will be important in this phase of the project to test how the airflow will impact the boundary layer for the coil wiring orientation and it may not be as simple as that for the straight linear orientation. To investigate this it is desired that numerical simulations of airflow dynamics using the Mechanical Computer Aided Design (MCAD) and Computational Fluid Dynamics Design (CFD-design) software packages. If any modification of the current coil wiring design is necessary, an alternate design, such as straight linear wiring will be modeled and validated. In addition, altering airflow direction during sampling will be considered for the coil wiring design to eliminate the surface area with low collection efficiency, and simulations will be conducted for comparison. 5. COLLECTION SURFACE AREA ENHANCEMENT The findings from the airflow dynamics simulation hopefully will suggest a more efficient utilization of the collection surface, and hence increased collection efficiency. An alternate approach that will be investigated is to construct the surface with a porous structure. A porous structured surface typically has an exposed area that is several times larger than that of a non-porous surface. However, if the pore size is too small, desorption may not be favored. Therefore, the pore size range should be optimized to obtain the best trade-off between absorption and desorption efficiency. 6. COLLECTION SURFACE AFFINITY TO THE ANALYTES It has been shown that polymer coatings with different affinity properties affect the extraction time, equilibration time, and partition coefficients. A variety of surfaces coated with polymers with different polarities can be prepared to collect VOCs with different polarities. For identification all collected VOCs are currently transferred to a trap at the same time and the mixture is then injected into a GC-MS for analysis. The drawback of this sample transfer method is that the selectivity originally provided by the different polar surfaces is completely eliminated. Combining samples may increase certain interference effects for the subsequent analyte identification process. An alternate sample transfer process may provide an analyte sorting mechanism prior to analysis for the purpose of reducing interference effects, and thus increasing detection sensitivity. An array of sample collectors targeting analytes with various polarities will release the samples in sequential order to a GC-MS, or a focusing trap followed by a GC-MS, for identification. Since different surfaces have different partition coefficients for VOCs with various polarities, the absorption of a particular coating will provide some selectivity. As a consequence, the non-target VOCs may be partially separated from target ones, and their interference effect will be reduced. Therefore the detection sensitivity could be enhanced. Additionally, by combining GC data generated with separated groups of VOCs, a 2-D spectrum will be obtained that contains richer information for target detection confirmation and signature analysis. 7.0 RESEARCH PLAN In Phase I, the work will focus on performing airflow dynamics modeling to understand how the airflow dynamics parameters influence the collection efficiency. Also the effect of collector wiring orientation (coil vs. straight) on the collection efficiency will be evaluated. The design will be modified and MCAD/CFD simulations will be performed as needed. Any updates in implementation will be validated via in-house testing. Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes (BTEX) will be used as target VOCs for in-house testing, and a GC-MS will be utilized for identification. The Phase I work can be expanded if time and funding is available to explore the feasibility of implementing a porous-structured surface for sample collection. In addition, a variety of commercially available SPME coatings will be identified to fabricate an array of collectors with different polarities. In-house testing will be carried out to evaluate the sorting capability for the analytes. Protocols for sequential desorption and identification will be developed. In the meantime, data analysis will be carried out to interpret the resultant 2D GC spectrum. Also, in Phase I if time and funding is available, field testing will be conducted to validate any new designs. THIS NOTICE IS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY, and does not constitute an Invitation for Bids, a Request for Proposals, a Solicitation, a Request for Quotes, or an indication the Government will contract for the items contained in this announcement. This request is not to be construed as a commitment on the part of the Government to award a contract, nor does the Government intend to pay for any information submitted as a result of this request. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any cost associated with submission of the information being requested or reimburse expenses incurred to interested parties for responses to this announcement. Responses to this announcement will not be returned, nor will there be any ensuing discussions or debriefings of any responses. HOW TO RESPOND: The Government would like to know what firms can provide all the services for this contemplated requirement by identifying themselves and responding to this notice. The Government requests the following information: 1) Company name and business size (i.e., 8(a), HUBZONE, WOSB, Veteran Owned, Small Disadvantaged Business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, etc.). 2) Provide evidence to show that your company can provide the requested services (i.e. technical ability, personnel, experience). Do not exceed 15 pages. All submissions shall be unclassified. 3) Address whether your company has a GSA Schedule and if they are capable of providing these services on schedule. If able to provide the services on schedule, what schedule and SIN. 4) Any other comments, concerns, and/or questions relating to the statement of work to improve the prototype high surface area solid phase microextraction (HSA-SPME) device by studying the flow dynamics necessary to enhance volatile organic chemical (VoC) uptake under high flow conditions in a chip-based design. PLEASE NOTE: INTERESTED PARTIES SHALL NOT CONTACT TECHNICAL PERSONNEL ABOUT THIS NOTICE. Please submit your responses to this notice via email to Lynda M. Theisen at Lynda.Theisen@ic.fbi.gov. The due date for responses is on or before August 3, 2009 by 4:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time. No collect calls will be accepted. No telephone request or written requests for the market survey will be accepted. All responses to this notice may be submitted by e-mail to: Lynda.Theisen@ic.fbi.gov ; by fax to: 703-632-8480 (attn: Lynda M. Theisen) or mailed to the FBI Laboratory, Attn: Lynda M. Theisen Contracting Officer, 2501 Investigation Parkway, Quantico, VA 22135. Please note: All contractors doing business with the Federal Government must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. The website for registration is www.ccr.gov.
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