A new way of encapsulating enzymes and other reactants needed for for water testing in a pill could allow inexpensive tests for water contaminants in the developing world. (Photo credit: Matt Terry, Office of Public Relations, McMaster University)
Take a cup a water, drop in a pill and shake it up; if the water turns purple, your well could be contaminated with bacteria. Such test are now possible thanks to a new method for encapsulating enzymes – including those used in lab tests for bacterial contamination – in a material called pullulan, the same stuff from which melt-in-your-mouth breath strips are made.
The technology could help test water for bacteria, metals or other contaminants in places where labs are not easy to access, including developing countries.
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Original research paper published in the journal Angewandte Chemie on April 24, 2014.
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