Guwahati: A low-cost device developed by IIT-Guwahati could help people rapidly detect cancer-causing metals and other toxic contaminants in water.The portable point-of-care device, E-Eye, can detect arsenic, lead, iron, chromium, fluoride and Escherichia coli in water samples. It identifies multiple contaminants on-site and wirelessly transmits results to water-treatment facilities.According to an IIT-G release issued on Thursday, the optical-sensing device costs around Rs 3,500, while each test costs about Rs 2. Large-scale production could further reduce the device’s price.Researchers have tested more than 2,700 samples and reported accurate results. E-Eye can also analyse environmental and biological samples, as well as vegetables, food, tea, herbal products, soil and milk.“Our device has been able to successfully detect toxicants such as arsenic, lead, iron, chromium, fluoride and Escherichia coli bacteria,” said Prof. Tapas K Mandal of IIT-G’s chemical engineering department.The device uses the Beer-Lambert law and combines optical sensing with digital electronics to provide quantitative measurements. The research, published in the IEEE Sensors Journal, involved researchers from IIT-G, KIIT Bhubaneswar and Ramakrishna Mission Residential College, Kolkata.Funded by the ministry of electronics and information technology, the team has established ENVIONIX Labs Pvt Ltd to commercialise the technology and plans industry partnerships for technology transfer.
