Project: Novel chip-scale mass spectrometer technologies for the analysis of the chemical composition of liquids, solids and gases.
Mass spectrometers (MS) are large, expensive analytical instruments commonly found in laboratories that are used to analyse the chemical composition of a solid, liquid or gas sample. MS systems are generally accepted to be the 'gold-standard' for chemical analysis of a sample - MS results are accepted as forensic evidence in courts. A mass spectrometer (MS) converts a chemical compound from a molecule into an ion. These ions are then separated according to their mass to charge (m/z) ratio by a mass analyser, the analytical engine of an MS, which generates a chemical signature for the molecule called a 'mass spectrum'. The principal peak in this spectrum is known as the 'molecular ion': the molecular ion is used to identify the compound as it is an accurate measurement of its molecular weight. The mass spectrum is a unique fingerprint which may be used to positively identify a compound by matching it against a standard library._x000D_Mass spectrometry is an established technique that has been around since the early part of the 20th century, evolving from the work of J.J.Thompson and Aston in the 1900s. The first commercial MS systems appeared during the 40s and 50s. MS is a big market, with total worldwide demand for mass spectrometry exceeding $3 billion during 2007. The MS market is expected to see close to 8% annual growth over the next five years, reaching nearly $4.5 billion by 2012._x000D__x000D_Today, there is a variety of mass spectrometers featuring a range of performance, however MS instruments are expensive and generally priced between $100k and $1M. MS systems are generally large and fixed, and require supporting infrastructure such as gas lines, power supplies and air conditioning. Because of their size and cost, MS systems are often located in central laboratories to which samples may be sent for analysis. As a consequence of laboratory bottlenecks and shipping, turnaround times for sample can be days to weeks. However, in some instances getting an instant result is critical. For example, patients arriving at a hospital emergency room may need to be tested for 'drugs of abuse' and any delay in analysing a sample of blood, urine or saliva could have fatal results. Likewise, athletes competing in major sporting event are screened for drugs but results are weeks to months in arriving: indeed, since all samples (rather than just those that test positive) are sent to a lab, major capacity bottlenecks occur introducing further delays. Similarly, because of recent scares in the food and beverage industry there is an increasing regulatory requirement to test food and drink before shipment or sale to the customer (e.g. US Assured Food Safety Act 2007). Moreover in forensics there are major risks of cross-contamination when collecting and transferring samples for lab analysis that could be avoided if the analysis was conducted on-site. _x000D__x000D_Microsaic Systems is developing a revolutionary, patented chip-scale mass spectrometer technology called ionchip. This is the world's first mass spectrometer on a chip, and has the potential to transform mass spectrometry by significantly reducing system size, cost and power consumption._x000D__x000D_Microsaic's mass spectrometer technology is based on MEMS (Micro-ElectroMechanical Systems) and devices may be processed in batches from silicon wafers using common semiconductor tools and processes. Lionix BV is a leading European MEMS developer & foundry and has a state of the art capability for fabrication of chip-scale devices and a leading-edge expertise in DRIE (Dry Reactive Ion Etching) techniques, specifically required for a MEMS-based MS. Microsaic and Lionix propose to collaborate to develop revolutionary miniature MS systems based on MEMS technology for the analysis of samples in the field. _x000D__x000D_Microsaic will avail of Lionix world-class MEMS fabrication facilities in Enschede (Netherlands) to develop a series of chip-based mass spectrometer components. Microsaic's engineering team will develop miniature MS systems in parallel, and these components will be integrated into MS systems in Woking (UK) for testing. Our goal is to demonstrate the analysis of samples in the field._x000D__x000D_Applications of these systems are myriad. In clinical settings, the capability to carry out rapid analysis of body fluids using a miniature MS in a doctor's surgery, or by a hospital bed-side, could speed up 'diagnosis' and ensure that opportunities for early intervention or prevention are not missed. Similarly, a portable MS system could be used to test inbound food and drink products for contaminants and poisons like melamine or lead at a wholesalers or supermarket prior to sale to consumers. Likewise, athletes could be screened using a portable MS at the track-side for drugs of abuse, and only the 'positive' samples sent for further testing in a central lab - eliminating bottlenecks and delays. Also, the same MS system could be used to test drivers by the road-side, or to test employees occupying safety critical roles.
| Acronym | CHIPSPEC (Reference Number: 4595) |
| Duration | 02/03/2009 - 30/08/2010 |
| Project Topic | Microsaic Systems and Lionix are two leading European innovators in the field of microsystems technology. Microsaic Systems proposes to collaborate with Lionix to develop miniaturized mass spectrometers for sample analysis applications in the energy, security, healthcare, food and drink industries. |
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Project Results (after finalisation) |
MEMS mass spectrometer developped for our project P Microsaic |
| Network | Eurostars |
| Call | Eurostars Cut-Off 2 |
Project partner
| Number | Name | Role | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | LioniX BV | Partner | Netherlands |
| 2 | Microsaic Systems Ltd | Coordinator | United Kingdom |