Scientists have a new weapon in their fight against water pollution, thanks to tests carried out by the Environment Agency's National Laboratory at Starcross in Devon
Handi-Lab is a new device that can detect ammonia in sewage samples.
Using the latest bio-sensor technology, the hand-held pocket-sized instrument provides almost instant results to a high level of accuracy.
The big advantage is that it can be used in the field, saving valuable time and doing away with the need to collect samples for laboratory analysis.
The device, that detects ammonia samples in river water, is likely to become a valuable tool for water companies and industry looking for a reliable sensor that is quick, sensitive and easy to use.
"Water quality monitoring in the UK has increased under the Water Framework Directive and this has created a market for instruments like the Handi-Lab," explained Wayne Civil, head of research and development at the Starcross Laboratory.
"The device could be used, among other things, to measure ammonia in effluent from papermills, sewage treatment works, breweries, fish farms and leachate from landfill sites.
"More recently, the device has even been tested by wine producers for quality control during fermentation, and Defra is looking at its application as an 'onion sensor' to detect the strength of sweet onions".
Handi-Lab is designed and manufactured by Applied Enzyme Technology and Gwent Electronic Materials based in Pontypool, Wales.
AET has been working closely on the development of the instrument with scientists at the Environment Agency's laboratory at Starcross for the past six years.
The device, which includes a disposable bio-sensor chip, is reaching the final stages of testing and accreditation and should become commercially available later this year.
Early research into bio-sensors was carried out at the University of the West of England in Bristol.
Applied Enzyme Technology later benefited from a DTI grant to develop the technology.
The sensor uses an enzyme to detect ammonia and is accurate to 1-10 parts per million.
"The team at Starcross has done a great job in assessing the Handi-Lab and helped identify a huge number of issues to do with both the instrument and sensor design," said Guido Drago, managing director of AET.
Handi-Labs will go on sale for approximately £1200 each.
Powered by a rechargeable battery, each instrument will be able to test up to 50 samples a day at £2.00 per sample.
This is considerably less than the cost of time consuming laboratory analysis.
Proto-types of the device store test data.
The latest Handi-Labs have the facility to download test data remotely to PCs.
Applied Enzyme Technology is also developing a Handi-Lab instrument to detect potentially harmful organophosphate chemicals in water samples using similar bio-sensor technology.
"We have enjoyed working with Applied Enzyme Technology in the testing and development of the Handi-Lab - a system featuring some ground-breaking technology that should make the sampling of ammonia both easier and quicker," added Wayne Civil.
"Throughout this project we have tried to underpin the development of this pioneering instrument with sound science."
