Development of a Microfluidic System for Monitoring Biocontamination of Drinking Waters
Project Partners
Lead PIs
Researcher
Yuliya Shakalisava
Funded By
Beaufort Marine Research Awards
Project Summary
This project is targeting the development of an autonomous analytical platform for detecting the presence of potentially harmful biological contamination of drinking water, e.g. through E. coli, cryptospyridium etc. It will seek to integrate aspects of the PG projects where appropriate, along with other technologies (e.g. electronics, microfluidics, remote communications) with the ultimate goal of deploying a prototype instrument at locations identified by the Marine Institute/EPA as particularly troublesome.
Key Outputs
- Development and validation of appropriate analytical methods for specific targets suitable for incorporation in the analytical platform
- Development of appropriate microfluidic platform designs
- Integration of the above with required electronics, power and communications within a ruggedized housing to produce a prototype device
- Laboratory trials of the prototype device
- Field Deployment and assessment of the device
Key Impacts
- Development of new competencies in bioanalytical measurements in microfluidic manifolds in the NCSR
- High impact papers in international journals
- Deployments in real situations with high-media potential
- Prototype system with considerable commercial potential