Recipient Organization
Picarro, Inc.
(N/A)
Sunnyvale,CA 94085
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Ethylene exposure limits have been established for postharvest handling of most horticultural commodities. In addition, effective methods have been developed to control ethylene exposure levels. However, the lack of simple, high-sensitivity ethylene monitoring instruments prevents the agricultural industry from implementing effective controls and thereby minimizing ethylene-induced product losses. The agricultural industry needs low-cost, real-time, high-sensitivity ethylene sensors with which untrained people can measure ethylene concentrations as low as one part per billion. Measuring low levels of ethylene using current technology typically requires collecting air samples and sending them to a laboratory for gas chromatography analysis. This process, including shipping and faxing of data results can take several days, during which spoilage or damage can occur. Real-time detection is key to successful reduction of product losses. In this project, Picarro, Inc. will
develop an ultra-sensitive ethylene monitor prototype based on cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS). The purpose of the phase I project is to demonstrate the feasibility of using CRDS for real-time ethylene monitoring in commercial and research applications.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project describes a plan to develop transportable, ultra-sensitive ethylene sensors based on cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS). These innovative devices will enable continuous monitoring of low levels of ethylene, down to 1 part-per-billion (ppb). The highest sensitivity instruments will be suitable for greenhouse plant protection and will enable postharvest scientists to make new discoveries. Additional generations of this instrument, such as would be developed in a phase II project, would have multi-gas capability and/or would be significantly cost reduced to enable the agricultural industry to protect ethylene-sensitive fruits and vegetables from damage in storage and distribution facilities. We will consider our Phase I feasibility study successful if we can detect ethylene in concentrations of 1 ppb in the presence of methane, water vapor, and carbon dioxide. Once the basic science of cavity-enhanced near-infrared
detection is better understood, the appropriate product designs will be targeted for Phase II development.
Project Methods
In Phase I, we will build a CRDS prototype instrument and determine its sensitivity to ethylene in the presence of H2O, CO2, CH4. We will target an absorption peak where the HITRAN database and other sources indicate that other gases in greenhouse and storage environments have no nearby absorption peaks and thus will not interfere with our measurements. Our approach to complete this work includes the following tasks:(i) procure and build cavity ringdown system components; (ii) assemble the cavity ringdown system; (iii) test the basic performance of the cavity ringdown system; (iv) determine the measurement sensitivity of the cavity ringdown system for ethylene in the presence of H2O, CO2, and CH4; (v) test the ethylene monitor with known calibration standards at an outside research laboratory; (vi) test the ethylene monitor in a fruit storage and packing facility.