TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Chemical/Bio Defense, Information Systems, Biomedical

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: NAVSEA 00C3

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: Design and build an affordable portable/hand-held unit that can be deployed underwater, and that is capable of real-time monitoring of recognized and other potentially dangerous substances present in the surrounding water column and sediment.

DESCRIPTION: Technological advances are making it more feasible to design portable/hand-held tools that can be used in a submerged environment (e.g., navigation systems, portable desk accessories, data acquisition and assessment). This technology has been demonstrated in shallow diving, military diving, and swimming environments. While there are numerous technological options for the acquisition and assessment of ground water contaminants, there is no current technology that is capable of real-time assessment of hazards to swimmers, divers, and submariners associated with contaminants in the ambient water column and sediment. The current effort would use existing and novel technologies to develop a portable/hand-held system that is durable, can operate in military environments, and has the capability to identify biological (e.g., e-coli, vibrio species, viruses), chemical (e.g., heavy metals, petroleum), and radiological (alpha, beta, gamma) hazards. It would also be able to identify future harmful contaminants, and thus must be designed in a manner that permits easy and cost-effective sensor/software upgrades. The design of the system should apply a human factors analysis to assess ease of operation. The output should display contaminant levels and indicate the prescribed protective equipment (category dress) in accordance with Diving in Contaminated Waters Manual.

PHASE I: Identify known contaminants in the water and sediment that could be harmful to swimmers, divers and submariners, and develop an overall system design that includes specification of rapid surveillance, recognition, and tracking technology, sensor flexibility for the inclusion of future contaminants, and protocol operation. Design efforts in Phase I should also demonstrate or cite evidence on the scientific or technical merit of the system and how the design is superior to alternative strategies.

PHASE II: Develop and demonstrate a prototype system for testing in operational environments. Phase II should assess system reliability and validity. Environmental testing must prove feasibility of operation over extended operating conditions to include hyperbaric and thermal stress, and submergence in sea water. Commercial applications should also be more extensively explored.

PHASE III: This system could be used in a broad range of military and civilian applications where surveillance, recognition, and tracking of contaminants in water and sediment are necessary � for example, in ship�s husbandry, salvage operations, and recreational swimming/diving. In addition, this product could easily be adapted for any environmental assessment of contaminants in water and sediment in which samples are currently sent to a laboratory for processing and results. Therefore, development of a flexible product for various end-users should be sought to expand the potential consumer base.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Commercial and recreational diving, as well as recreational swimming in remote areas, are commonplace activities worldwide. These populations could benefit from real-time assay of contamination in ambient water and sediment. The ability to rapidly assess environmental conditions and enhance decision-making in remote areas may reduce costs associated with unforeseen mishaps and injuries.

REFERENCES:
1. Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command. Diving in Contaminated Waters Manual, SS521-AJ-PRO-010 Rev 1, Arlington (VA): NAVSEA, 2003.

2. James R, Dindal A, Willenberg Z, Riggs, K. Environmental Technology Verification Report, CheckLight Ltd., Toxscreen-II Rapid Toxicity Testing System. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Technology Verification Program. November 2003.

3. Fritcher DL et al. Evaluation of Two Direct Immunoassays for Rapid Detection of Petroleum Products on Marine Birds, Mar Pollut Bull. 2002; 44(5): 388�395.

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Second National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, Atlanta (GA): National Center for Environmental Health, 2003, NCEH Pub. 02-0716.

KEYWORDS: underwater contamination;hyperbaric;surveillance;tracking;reporting;decision-making

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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