# High-Sensitivity Benzene Detector for Environmental Field Surveys

> **NIH NIH R43** · PHYSICAL SCIENCES, INC · 2024 · $294,253

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Benzene is a known carcinogen linked to leukemia with primary entry into the human body via the lungs,
thus detecting, tracking and localizing emission sources in real-time are critical for preventing personal
exposures. Premature death from air pollution (due to household air, ambient particulates and ozone) has
increased drastically over the past two decades and was responsible for over 6.7 million deaths in 2019.
The complexity and high operational cost of existing laborious measurement tools for benzene are
responsible for infrequent air sampling activities. The lack of a real-time continuously monitoring benzene
instrument for ambient air is making the impact of environmental exposures on the general population very
difficult to assess.
An easily-operating instrument capable of measuring benzene continuously in real-time with sensitivity of
parts-per-billion by volume (ppbv) and adaptable to typical survey modalities (e.g. mobile, fixed, and
walking) is the overall goal of this research and development program. The proposed project will improve
both scientific knowledge on the impact of benzene on the health of the general population and technical
capability in the measurement of benzene in real-time with high-sensitivity and fast time response.
The Phase I Specific Aims are to engineer a laboratory prototype to detect benzene, establish the
performance of the laboratory prototype, and demonstrate operations in outdoor urban environments. This
proposed benzene detector will take advantage of key enabling technologies including recently available
room-temperature quantum cascade lasers, custom compact system electronics designs, rugged multipass
measurement cell designs, and data analytics for estimating emission rate and source. This real-time
continuously monitoring benzene detector will enhance the understanding of its impact on human to reduce
or eliminate cancers caused by exposure to benzene.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10920888
- **Project number:** 1R43ES036478-01
- **Recipient organization:** PHYSICAL SCIENCES, INC
- **Principal Investigator:** Shin-Juh Chen
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $294,253
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-06-04 → 2025-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10920888

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10920888, High-Sensitivity Benzene Detector for Environmental Field Surveys (1R43ES036478-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10920888. Licensed CC0.

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