ATLANTA, GA, April 6, 2010 -- Smart Polymers Research Corporation in Belleair Beach, Fla. has been awarded $70,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to create a fluorescence-based fully-automated flow sensor for real-time environmental detection of biothreat pathogens in water or the air. The proposed sensor will have immediate applications for constant environmental water and air monitoring, providing automated real-time specific detection and identification of multiple pathogens, and can be interfaced with an alarm system.
EPA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program was established to ensure that new technologies are developed to solve priority environmental problems. EPA is one of 11 federal agencies that participate in the SBIR program, enacted in 1982 to strengthen the role of small businesses in federal research and development, create jobs, and promote technical innovation in the United States.
There are approximately 25 million small businesses in the U.S. today. As the leading source of employment growth, these firms have generated 60-80 percent of net new jobs over the past decade and are responsible for developing most of the country's new technologies. To be eligible to participate in SBIR, a small business must have fewer than 500 employees, and at least 51 percent of the business must be owned by U.S. citizens.
EPA is also requesting applications for the development of new environmental technologies. The application deadline is May 11.
More information on SBIR and applying for funds: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/sbir
More information on SBIR awards: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/sbir/10awards/.
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