Real-time Indication of Faecal pigments in Freshwater

WHO estimates that 2 billion people worldwide consume drinking water that has been contaminated with faeces, yet scientific testing for faecal contamination in water currently takes at least 10 to 24 h, as per UNICEF reports.

Thus, there is an urgent need for methods that allow to unequivocally test drinking water quality on site, therefore significantly contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, in particular to SDG 6 (access to clean water and sanitation).

However, currently, no rapid, portable, sensitive and cost-effective method or device for the detection of faecal pigments outside of a lab is available.

The proposed sustainable method to be developed in RIFF represents a shift from a faecal indicator bacteria (FIB) to a faecal indicator pigment (FIP) paradigm in faecal contaminant detection technology.

This interdisciplinary project will demonstrate (1) a rapid and cost-effective sensory device for the real-time analysis of FIPs having as (2) a key element, a specifically tailored hybrid filter membrane for selective and sensitive FIP enrichment and detection (10 pg/L to 1 µg/L).

Besides membrane tailoring for selective FIP capture, interfacial chemistry and assay integration will enhance the detection performance of a final device.

The proposed method eliminates the need for solution-based FIP analysis, thus mitigating the technical issues associated with real-time water quality testing as well as bringing user-friendliness and operational stability.

Hence RIFF will have a significant societal impact towards providing novel solutions for health challenges associated with drinking water contamination.

The successful completion of the project will give me the opportunity to acquire multidisplinary skills in the field of sensor material development, device construction and rapid testing, which is necessary for establishing my future research career as an independent researcher in the field of water research & water quality monitoring.