Smartphone sensor takes minutes to detect harmful algae

The breakthrough from the National University of Singapore (NUS) could help prevent the spread of harmful microorganisms in aquatic environments that threaten public health and cause environmental problems.

The NUS team, led by Assistant Professor Bae Sung Woo from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the NUS Faculty of Engineering, first published the results online in Harmful Algae.

A surge in the volume of algae and their associated toxins in lakes, ponds, rivers, and coastal waters can adversely affect water quality. In 2015, for example, an algae bloom wiped out over 500 tonnes of fish in Singapore.

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According to NUS, conventional methods of algae detection and analysis are time consuming, and require specialised and costly equipment, plus skilled operators to conduct water sampling and testing. One approach is to test for the presence of chlorophyll using complex instruments that cost over S$3,000 (US$2,200). Another common method is to carry out cytometric and image analysis to detect algal cells, a method involving equipment that costs over S$100,000 (US$73,000).