Archive · 3 Sep 2025
IIT Guwahati Develops Nanosensor for Water Contaminant Detection
Scientists have created a tiny sensor using milk protein and thymine that can quickly spot dangerous chemicals like mercury and antibiotics in water.
These chemicals can cause cancer and other health problems.
The sensor works by using special glowing dots that dim when they find these harmful substances.
It can detect tiny amounts of these pollutants in seconds, even in water, milk, or blood.
This new invention offers a cheaper and faster way to test water, and could potentially be used in the future for medical purposes.
IIT Guwahati researchers created a nanosensor from milk protein and thymine.
The sensor detects mercury and antibiotic contamination in water.
It uses carbon dots that dim under ultraviolet light in the presence of pollutants.
The sensor can detect contaminants within 10 seconds.
The sensor can be used in tap water, river water, and biological samples.
- Who
- Researchers at IIT Guwahati
- What
- Developed a nanosensor to detect mercury and antibiotic contamination in water and biological fluids.
- When
- The research was recently published in the journal Microchimica Acta.
- Where
- Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati.
- Why
- To provide a quick, accurate, and low-cost method to detect water pollutants that pose health risks.
- Developed by
- IIT Guwahati researchers
- Sensor Material
- Milk protein and thymine
- Detects
- Mercury and tetracycline antibiotics
- Detection Method
- Dimming of carbon dots under UV light
- Detection Speed
- Less than 10 seconds
- Mercury Detection Limit
- 5.3 nanomolar (1.7 parts per billion)
- Antibiotic Detection Limit
- 10-13 nanomolar (tetracycline)