# Development of an integrated smartphone-nanosensor platform for onsite biomonitoring of exposure to pesticides

> **NIH NIH R42** · NANODIAGNOSTIC TECHNOLOGY, LLC · 2024 · $915,031

## Abstract

Abstract
Organophosphate (OP) pesticides poisoning is a worldwide environmental and occupational health concern
due to their neurotoxicity. Rapid and accurate detection of personal exposures to these pesticides is critical to
both research and clinical care for patients. However, their detection is still highly variable across commercial
assays and these assays are not able to adequately detect low but clinically relevant levels of biomarkers of
these exposures. Furthermore, these assays are generally performed in centralized laboratories and therefore
are costly and have a long turnaround time. These shortcomings translate into missed opportunities for timely
initiation of the most appropriate treatment and interventions for acutely or chronically poisoned patients. To
address these shortcomings, more sensitive and accurate biomonitoring tools are needed. Development of
such tools is well aligned with the mission of NIEHS. This STTR phase II project aims to further develop an
integrated nanosensor-smartphone platform for onsite rapid and sensitive detection of OP exposure with a tiny
drop of finger-stick blood. Because Phase I has soundly demonstrated the feasibility of the technology, we aim
to continue developing it through Phase II to the extent that the technology could be commercialized.
Specifically, we will: 1) < further develop a multiplex sensing platform for simultaneous and accurate
measurement of pesticide exposure biomarkers acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase from a tiny
drop of finger-stick blood and further evaluate the analytical performance of this multiplex nanosensing
platform with more OP pesticides, achieving an efficient sensing platform for onsite rapid screening /
assessment of OP exposure and poisoning; 2) further develop the current primitive mobile app to achieve
multifunctionality including multiplex sensing data processing and analyzing, results display, data storage and
management, data sharing with professionals, and education of users. > 3) carry out a comprehensive
validation of the nanosensor-smartphone platform in the field. We anticipate that accomplishing these three
aims will lead to an affordable and commercializable nanosensing platform that will be sufficiently accurate and
sensitive for rapid point-of-care biomonitoring of exposure to OP pesticides. It could be used at home, in the
field, physician’s office, bedside, and emergency room or for remote testing.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10821772
- **Project number:** 2R42ES032388-02A1
- **Recipient organization:** NANODIAGNOSTIC TECHNOLOGY, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Jun Wang
- **Activity code:** R42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $915,031
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2022-02-28 → 2026-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10821772

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10821772, Development of an integrated smartphone-nanosensor platform for onsite biomonitoring of exposure to pesticides (2R42ES032388-02A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10821772. Licensed CC0.

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