Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a deadly carcinogenic toxin discovered in blue-green algae or cyanobacteria. Microcystin-LR even in extremely minute quantities is responsible for causing liver cancer. MC-LR and other similar substances are found to be prominent players in biological water pollution. The algae-producing toxin was the chief culprit for causing huge scale poisoning in humans, centuries ago when wells, springs, and lakes had been the primary sources for drinking water. A group of scientists lead by Nicholas Kotov, a professor in the departments of chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering and Supplies Science and Engineering at the University of Michigan discovered a straightforward technique for testing the presence of MC-LR in drinking water.

The researchers found out that a strip of paper infused with carbon nanotubes could swiftly and detect the MC-LR toxin produced by algae in drinking water. They discovered that the paper strips perform 28 times faster than the complex approach most frequently utilized today to detect microcystin-LR, (University of Michigan).

Water treatment plants, even in developed countries do not constantly get rid of MC-LR entirely according to Kotov. The safety of our drinking water is a vital issue in several developing countries and in several parts of the United States, He said.

There have been so many talks about the quality of our drinking water. So, whatever we can do to support the public stay secure from contracting diseases from drinking water is far more than appreciated. This new technology for testing water can be used by cities and states to test drinking water top quality on a typical basis. In addition, the technologies can also be utilized to test for toxins in foods.

The technique works by measuring electrical conductivity of nanotubes in a unique synthesized paper. Just before the nanotubes are introduced into the paper, they are mixed with antibodies for the MC-LR toxin. So, when the paper comes in contact with water that is contaminated with the MC-LR toxin, those antibodies go between the nanotubes to bond with the MC-LR toxin, thus, causing the nanotubes to spread apart, (University of Michigan).

This spreading-apart of the nanotubes, cause a considerable change to the nanotubes’ electrical conductivity. This electrical conductivity is measured by an external monitor, the researchers stated. The result of testing water appears in about 12 minutes, (University of Michigan). For that reason, such rapid resulting can be beneficial to any city or state that wants to rule out a particular biological contaminant suspected in drinking water in quite rapid fashion.