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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Berlin, April 2, 2026. Microbiologically contaminated water poses a significant health risk worldwide - especially in areas where laboratories are scarce and rapid testing is crucial. Researchers at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) have now developed a portable rapid test capable of detecting the molecule urobilin at extremely low concentrations. Urobilin is produced in the body during the breakdown of hemoglobin, is excreted, and serves as a natural indicator that traces of human or animal excrement are present in the water. The new test delivers a reliable result in under a minute, greatly simplifying rapid on-site assessment of water quality.
Worldwide, billions of people rely on water sources whose hygienic quality is unclear or difficult to monitor. Conventional microbiological analysis methods take up to 24 hours, are costly, and require specialized laboratories for evaluation. These delays complicate the provision of safe drinking water, decision-making during flood events, or in regions with insufficient laboratory infrastructure. This is precisely where the new BAM rapid test offers a solution.
The research team has developed a highly sensitive detection method that makes the indicator molecule urobilin - a metabolic byproduct excreted by all mammals - visible within seconds. The method uses a special test strip that lights up upon contact with microbiologically contaminated water.
What makes it special: The test can be used directly with a smartphone. A small LED lamp in a 3D-printed attachment of the test kit is powered by the phone, and the smartphone camera measures the test strip’s luminescence. No additional laboratory equipment or chemicals are required.
This enables an exceptionally simple “drop-and-detect” principle: a single drop of water is sufficient to perform a reliable analysis. In comparative measurements, the test demonstrates high stability and accuracy. Even very small amounts of the indicator molecule can be identified - significantly faster and more easily than with conventional analytical methods.
“The system also performed well in practical testing: The rapid test was successfully validated using real water samples from rivers as well as at the inflow and outflow of a Berlin wastewater treatment plant,” explains Swayam Prakash, who developed the rapid test as a Marie Curie Fellow at BAM together with Knut Rurack, an expert in chemical and optical sensing.“ Even under complex environmental conditions with natural interfering substances, urobilin was reliably detected.”
By eliminating the need for additional work steps or laboratory equipment, the method is particularly suitable for field operations, developing regions, crisis areas, and mobile monitoring programs. With its combination of speed, sensitivity, and user-friendliness, the new BAM rapid test meets key requirements of modern water quality diagnostics and contributes to improving essential services worldwide.
At the same time, the technology demonstrates how powerful future solutions in water monitoring can be: Since the test can be evaluated digitally and the system is robust and ready for immediate use, it can be applied in many areas where compact and reliable technology is particularly important. The demonstrated innovation potential provides a strong foundation for further developments that are likely to be of particular interest to companies in environmental analytics, mobile diagnostics, and smart monitoring systems.
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssensors.5c03922
A smartphone camera measures the glow of the test strip in the portable measuring device, enabling a ...
Copyright: BAM
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Chemistry, Environment / ecology
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A smartphone camera measures the glow of the test strip in the portable measuring device, enabling a ...
Copyright: BAM
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