A team of researchers developed the
portable test.
Image: RMIT University

Researchers have developed a low-cost, portable way to test water quality and help authorities deal with pollution or pesticide contamination.

Researchers at RMIT University collaborated with the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) at Knoxfield and Werribee to develop a proof-of-concept, portable sensor for testing on-site water quality.

The project was funded by an Innovation grant from Land and Water Australia.

The initial target of this research was a fungicide used in areas of intensive horticultural production close to catchments.

The RMIT prototype sensor uses selectively adsorbing polymers designed to quantitatively detect specific water-borne contaminants.

The prototype was demonstrated to representatives from Victorian water suppliers, catchment management authorities and regulatory agencies at a workshop late last year.

Professor David Mainwaring, who led the research, said the device provided a rapid, inexpensive method of measuring chemical residues on-site.

“It will aid water managers in the minimisation of off-target impacts of spills, industrial pollution and agricultural application of pesticides to water catchment quality.”

Existing analytical testing methods are currently time-consuming and expensive. According to Colin Cook of the DPI’s Future Farming Systems research team, the sensor can evaluate water supplies very quickly to target specific contaminants.

“Taking precautions to protect water supplies following a pesticide spill can be very expensive, without even considering the test costs,” Mr Cook said.

“Speedy results can guide the emergency response efficiently for industry as well as the government agencies.”

As a first indication, the instrumentation will cost less than $2500. By employing reusable sensing chips, costs per test appear less than a dollar.

The sensor uses advanced functional polymer technology that can be tailored to detect specific water contaminants including a wide range of herbicides, pesticides and fungicides.

On-site testing could potentially be conducted in ground water, run-off waters, rivers, creeks, irrigation channels and tanks.

Professor Mainwaring said functional polymer technology also had wider applications in the containment of contamination for water catchments since the polymers could readily absorb more than 10 per cent of their weight for a variety of agricultural chemicals.

“Further applications of such functional polymers could include the accurate quantitative detection of anti-bodies, heavy metals, E coli and antibiotics,” Professor Mainwaring said.