{"id":3280,"date":"2024-08-08T14:54:34","date_gmt":"2024-08-08T14:54:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=3280"},"modified":"2024-10-16T21:01:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-16T21:01:00","slug":"groundbreaking-lens-free-fluorescence-instrument-revolutionizes-water-safety-detection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/groundbreaking-lens-free-fluorescence-instrument-revolutionizes-water-safety-detection\/","title":{"rendered":"Groundbreaking Lens-Free Fluorescence Instrument Revolutionizes Water Safety Detection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">A new lens-free fluorescence detection system developed by researchers promises to revolutionize water safety monitoring by providing an affordable and highly effective means of detecting deadly microorganisms in drinking water, potentially safeguarding millions of lives globally.<\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0dfbf163 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px;\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A pioneering lens-free fluorescence detection system has been developed by researchers to provide highly sensitive identification of deadly microorganisms in drinking water. This breakthrough promises a low-cost and user-friendly solution that could transform water quality monitoring in developing countries and disaster-stricken areas. The innovative approach could also offer quick water safety assessments for large-scale events like the Paris Olympics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn developing countries, unsafe water sources are responsible for more than 1 million deaths each year,\u201d Ashim Dhakal, research team leader from the Phutung Research Institute in Nepal, said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optica.org\/about\/newsroom\/news_releases\/2024\/august\/lens-free_fluorescence_instrument_detects_deadly_microorganisms_in_drinking_water\/\" title=\"\">news releas<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurekalert.org\/news-releases\/1053606\" title=\"\">e<\/a>. \u201cWe hope that our work will facilitate the development of simpler and cost-effective yet highly efficient sensing paradigms for drinking water, saving countless lives around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The traditional methods of microbial contamination detection in water require time-consuming culturing of samples, sometimes taking over 18 hours to produce results. Such delays are impractical in emergency situations or in regions lacking adequate infrastructures, skilled personnel and necessary reagents, leading to ineffective water surveillance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In their groundbreaking study <a href=\"https:\/\/opg.optica.org\/optica\/abstract.cfm?doi=10.1364\/OPTICA.527289\" title=\"\">published<\/a> in the journal Optica, researchers from the Phutung Research Institute, University of S\u00e3o Paulo in Brazil and University of York in the UK revealed that their lensless water monitoring fluorometer can detect fluorescent proteins from harmful bacteria down to levels of less than one part per billion. This impressive sensitivity meets the World Health Organization&#8217;s criteria for detecting fecal contamination in drinking water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cToday\u2019s fluorometers typically use costly lenses that are made of specialty UV-transparent glass and require precise positioning,\u201d Dhakal added. \u201cWe show that eliminating the lenses not only reduces the device cost, size and weight but also provides better performance given that we are not aiming for imaging here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Revolutionizing Optical Detection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Dhakal\u2019s team, fueled by funding from the Optica Foundation Challenge, aimed to create a portable, affordable and user-friendly instrument for real-time water quality assessment. By examining the core principles of optical signal generation, the researchers realized that lenses often hinder performance in practical applications not requiring image capture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis was an important finding because lenses account for a significant share of the costs of optical systems and their bulk and weight make it difficult to create practical portable devices,\u201d added Dhakal. \u201cOur analysis revealed that using a light source, detectors and sample sizes that are all as large and as close to each other as possible produces a stronger signal, leading to better performance for water quality monitoring.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Field-Ready and Highly Effective<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The new lensless fluorescence system utilizes larger UV LEDs and detectors to excite proteins from harmful microbes and detect the resulting fluorescence. Their tests showcased that the lensless system&#8217;s fluorescence signals were nearly double in strength compared to lensed systems, which are often constrained by their numerical aperture and other physical limitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:22px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"550\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Lensfree-Water-System.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Lensfree-Water-System.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Lensfree-Water-System-236x300.jpg 236w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Credit:<\/em> Rijan Maharjan, Ashim Dhakal, Phutung Research Institute<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:13px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Currently, the researchers are fine-tuning a pocket-sized version of the lensless fluorometer for field testing to ensure it withstands harsh conditions and meets the specific bacterial contamination detection requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur system is already highly useful because the sensitive and accurate measurement of concentration of bacterial proteins that it provides is directly related to the efficiency of water treatment, the dose of disinfectants required for disinfection and the likelihood of bacterial proliferation in a recontamination event,\u201d said Dhakal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As this promising technology advances towards wider application, it holds the potential to vastly improve water safety and public health, particularly in vulnerable regions where reliable detection methods are most needed. With its simplicity, cost-effectiveness and high sensitivity, this lens-free fluorescence instrument stands to make a life-saving difference on a global scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A pioneering lens-free fluorescence detection system has been developed by researchers to provide highly sensitive identification of deadly microorganisms in drinking water. This breakthrough promises a low-cost and user-friendly solution that could transform water quality monitoring in developing countries and disaster-stricken areas. The innovative approach could also offer quick water safety assessments for large-scale events [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3280","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sustainability"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"A pioneering lens-free fluorescence detection system has been developed by researchers to provide highly sensitive identification of deadly microorganisms in drinking water. This breakthrough promises a low-cost and user-friendly solution that could transform water quality monitoring in developing countries and disaster-stricken areas. The innovative approach could also offer quick water safety assessments for large-scale events&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3280","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3280"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3280\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3318,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3280\/revisions\/3318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3280"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3280"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3280"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}