The team behind the research believes that living biometric sensors could be the key to quickly reporting the presence of a variety of contaminants in the water supply and alert about possible environmental catastrophes – such as chemical spills – before they escalate.
The cells used in the study belonged to Escherichia coli (e.coli) – a type of bacteria found in the environment, foods, and intestines of people and animals – to release an electrical current that can sense pollutants quicker than traditional methods.
When detecting water contamination, timing is vital. Scientists have pointed out that chemical spills in rivers that go unnoticed for 20 minutes are incredibly difficult to remediate, so a tool like theirs could have a significant impact on the environment.
“A lot of times there are environmental contaminants that are accidentally released," said Caroline Ajo-Franklin, a professor of biosciences at Rice University. “If you could know...