IIT-Guwahati team creates nanosensor for detecting cancer-causing water pollutants

Researchers at IIT-Guwahati have developed nanosenor from milk protein and thymine for instant detection of cancer-causing water pollutants, the institute said on Monday.

Using carbon dots and ultraviolet lights, the sensor can detect mercury and harmful antibiotic contamination in less than 10 seconds, it said.

With rapid urbanisation, industrial activities and overuse of pharmaceuticals, water contamination is becoming a pressing issue, putting ecosystems and human health at risk worldwide, the institute said in a statement.

Tetracyclines are a class of antibiotics commonly used for pneumonia and respiratory infections. If it is not disposed properly, it can easily enter the environment, contaminating the water, which can result in antibiotic resistance and other health hazards.

Similarly, mercury, in its organic form, can cause cancer, neurological disorders, cardiovascular disease and other life-threatening conditions, it said.

Detecting these pollutants accurately and quickly is essential to protect both water quality and public health.

To address this challenge, the IIT-Guwahati research team has created nanosensor, a sensor built from extremely small materials that are a few billionths of a metre in size, according to the statement.

The sensor uses carbon dots that glow under ultraviolet light. In the presence of harmful substances such as mercury or tetracyclines, the glow of these carbon dots dim, providing a quick and visible signal of contamination, it said.

To ensure its versatile utility, the researchers have tested the sensor in a variety of environments such as tap and river water, milk, urine and serum samples, IIT-Guwahati said.

The research is at a laboratory stage and the findings are subject to further validation, the statement added.