Low-cost electrochemical sensors derived from food waste for sensitive in-situ detection of water contaminants

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This project will develop an ultrafast biosensor platform for in-situ detection of multiple contaminants (e.g., MIB, geosmin, PFAS, ammonia, nitrate, phosphate) in water by incorporating pattern recognition algorithms. For water utility companies, typical analyses of these contaminants require the transportation of water samples to a lab and is also expensive and labour intensive. Quick turnaround time from sampling to analytical result is a further unmet challenge where contamination of water supplies is suspected. Low-cost carbon sensor electrodes with properties of enhanced electron transfer and surface area will be derived from food wastes and fabricated using patented flexographic printing. They will generate characteristic electrochemical signals upon interaction with various contaminants in water that are distinct from those caused by non-specific adsorption. This will provide an essential step towards label free, direct, and easy-to-use in situ monitoring devices.