Mesa Photonics, LLC, (Santa Fe, NM) successfully completed a Phase I SBIR project that will lead to development of a highly sensitive and low cost analyzers for ammonia in air.  Detection limits will be better than 50 parts per billion and, likely, less than 10 parts per billion.

Small amounts of ammonia can have big effects on health and on the atmosphere.  The ammonia forms particles that are small enough to be inhaled deeply into our lungs leading to pulmonary inflammation.  The same particles can affect climate by changing cloud formation dynamics.  Scientists studying ammonia’s effect on the atmosphere need accurate measurements of ammonia concentrations at low concentrations.  But, there are large discrepancies among measurements made from satellites, measurements made at the earth’s surface, and concentrations predicted using computer modeling.  Commercial products based on Mesa Photonics’ technology will help resolve these discrepancies.  The analyzers will be able to measure ammonia concentrations down to about 10 parts per billion, yet will be less than half the cost of competing products.  Measurements will require only a few seconds.

By the end of the six-month-long Phase I project, Mesa Photonics researchers demonstrated ammonia detection limits of 290 parts per billion.  Significantly, we also identified improvements that will bring the detection limit to the targeted 10 ppb value.  One of these improvements is a new invention that significantly speeds measurement rates.  We plan to file a patent application covering the idea later this summer.  Markets for sensors and analyzers are highly competitive.  Patent protection provides an important advantage to commercialization of new technology.

The ammonia analyzer technology is a non-contacting optical method based on the type of miniature, low-power lasers that are sold for telecommunications over optical fibers.  The laser is smaller than a grain of rice and draws less electric power than an iPad.  Laser light is contained within a glass fiber that is thinner than a human hair.  The light is eye safe. 

Measuring ammonia at very low concentrations (below 1 part per million) is important for understanding atmospheric effects, as noted.  Measurements of higher concentrations (above 1 part per million) are also important because ammonia irritates eyes and lungs.  Our technology will also be able to monitor ammonia emissions leading to these health problems.  Agriculture is the biggest source of ammonia emissions in the United States.  Analyzers are needed for measurements around animal feed operations (AFOs), poultry and hog farms, waste lagoons, and cropland where ammonia is applied directly to the soil as a fertilizer.  This market is significant: 70% of domestic ammonia emissions come from agriculture.  There are, for example, 450,000 AFOs in the United States.  Small size, low power requirement, and low cost make Mesa Photonics’ technology well-suited to the agricultural emissions market.

Finally, we note that the gas analyzer technology tested during the Phase I project is also applicable to other gases.  Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) detection is probably offers the best commercial opportunity.  The gas is highly toxic and is ubiquitous in oil and gas operations.  Existing electrochemical sensors can fail at extreme temperatures and require regular dosing with hydrogen sulfide to keep the electrolyte active.  Mesa Photonics NSF-funded technology promises more reliable operation.  A significant development effort will be needed, however, to obtain the price benefits of large volume production.

For additional information, please contact David Bomse, PhD, at 505-216-5015 or dbomse@mesaphoton...

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