U of A researchers developing water-quality sensor

Aglobal problem that has gone overlooked has seen major transformations in the past year thanks to two University of Alberta researchers. With the construction of a new prototype sensor, these researchers have made testing rural and agricultural waters faster and more accessible, with a handheld portable sensor that can detect E-coli.

“The problem with water is very big, and when you think about it from a global perspective, there’s so many people that don’t have access to clean drinking water,” says Parmiss Mojir Shaibani, researcher and post-doctoral fellow with the University of Alberta’s department of mechanical engineering. “But it’s not just developing countries that have this problem as it happens here in Canada, too, and it’s always been a big issue and a passion of ours, so we decided to start working on a solution.”

Mojir Shaibani and husband Amirreza Sohrabi have been focusing on tackling the issue of water testing for more than six years.

After realizing the current testing process in place was slow, the pair decided to delve deeper into the issue and try to provide a speedier solution. Previous to the couple’s research, testing for E-coli and cyanobacteria in water can be a long-winded procedure which includes collecting samples of the water in question, transporting it to the closest lab (predominantly located within urban areas) and waiting up to two days to receive the results.

The problem with this system, says Mojir Shaibani, is this water could be consumed by the community before the results are received, and in turn cause health problems for people or wildlife should the water contain traces of bacteria such as E-coli.

With these problems in mind, Mojir Shaibani and Sohrabi began to study the current methods for water testing and evaluated the gaps in the system to make their own prototype that can gain faster results and ultimately determine the status of contaminated water at a much more viable rate.

“Right now, we’re working on the second prototype,” says Mojir Shaibani. “The first one took four and a half years to make. Once it was completed it worked great, but it was unnecessarily expensive, so we started working on a second prototype that’s smaller and less expensive for the consumer.”

The first prototype, which was completed in 2015, worked in the way the couple had hoped, as a device that would determine E-coli presence in water at a faster rate. However, due to the expense the couple began to rework their device and make it more economically friendly.

The second prototype also works in a slightly different way by using a disposable cartridge and electronic reader. Water is sampled, and if E-coli is present, then the PH balance changes and within an hour the user can easily verify whether the water is contaminated or safe.

The second prototype is well underway, with the cartridge already being fully developed, and the electronic device still under construction.

“We expect this second prototype will be done in the next three to four months and ready to be tested both in the lab and by some of our customers that have already approached us in the field within the next eight to nine months,” says Sohrabi, who is a researcher and materials engineering graduate.

With the newest and most cost-effective prototype almost ready to start market testing, the couple is happy to be offering a new way of water testing that is especially ground-breaking for rural and remote areas that often have to wait longer for contamination results.

However, it isn’t just remote areas of Alberta that the couple hope to reach. With a user-friendly portable device that needs no technology training to handle, they hope to eventually expand their reach world-wide.