Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research (IC&SR) , IIT Madras
A Paper-based Sensors for Detection of Eutrophying Nutrients in Water and Waste Water System
Technology Category/ Market
Environmental Monitoring & Water Quality Assessment
Applications– Water Quality Monitoring
Industry – Water & Wastewater Management
Market – The water quality sensor market size is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.72% between 2023 and 2027, and is forecast to increase by USD 1581 M.
Image Gallery
Problem Statement
- Installation and maintenance expenses associated with real-time water quality monitoring systems, especially in large watershed areas with limited wastewater treatment units, pose a significant challenge.
- Traditional methods such as spectrophotometric and electrochemical approaches face drawbacks, including low sensitivity, longer incubation times, decreased selectivity, and high fabrication and maintenance costs.
- While colorimetric sensors offer rapid and reliable detection with the naked eye, their high cost, complicated synthesis, and storage of reagents, along with complexities in on-site measurements, present obstacles that need to be addressed.
- There is a pressing need for the development of low-cost colorimetric paper-based sensors as a practical and affordable sensing tool.
Technology
- The invention discloses a paper sensor for the detection of eutrophying nutrients in water and wastewater comprising a paper strip coated with Tween -20 and a probe.
- The probe is a dye and is brilliant green. The paper sensor comprises a dye of concentration of 5 μM.
- The paper sensor comprises the detection of phosphate ions, and the detection range of the eutrophying nutrient is between 0.07 mg/L and 13.6 mg/L.
- The paper sensor stability is >90 days and stable at a temperature of up to 60 °C and up to a pH of 10 as measured by the grayscale intensity in the range of 125-130 by Image J software.
Key Features/ Value Proposition
Affordability and Accessibility:
- The low-cost nature of the paper sensor, coupled with the use of readily accessible chemicals, ensures a cost-effective solution for water quality monitoring.
Ease of Use:
- The sensor’s simplicity allows for easy deployment, requiring only a drop of liquid reagent or a simple dip of the strip, making it user-friendly even in resource-constrained environments.
Naked Eye Detection of Pollutants:
- By aligning with regulatory guidelines, the sensor enables the visual identification of pollutant levels, facilitating early detection and intervention to prevent water body deterioration.
Selective Performance:
- The sensor demonstrates selectivity in the presence of co-existing ions, ensuring accurate and reliable measurements in complex environmental samples.
Non-Toxic Byproducts:
- The sensor’s reaction produces no toxic byproducts, ensuring environmental safety and sustainability throughout its use.
Stability and Scalability:
- With high stability under diverse environmental conditions and easy storage, the sensor can be reliably scaled up in production.
Questions about this Technology?
Contact for Licensing
sm-marketing@imail.iitm.ac.in
ipoffice2@iitm.ac.in
Research Lab
Prof. Ligy Philip
Department of Civil Engineering
Intellectual Property
- IITM IDF Ref. 2070
- IN 406442 – Patent Granted
Technology Readiness Level
TRL – 4
Technology validated in lab scale.