University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee researchers develop two low-cost water sensors

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) have developed two water sensors that can be low-cost solutions to prevent water contamination.

The researchers have developed the twin technologies in collaboration with industry partners under a Milwaukee research consortium termed as Water Equipment and Policy Center (WEP).

UWM College of Engineering & Applied Science dean Brett Peters said: "These new technologies resulting from our WEP partnerships are helping Milwaukee compete in the $500 billion global freshwater technology market.

"Both sensors offer specificity that isn’t currently commercially available."

UWM mechanical engineering professor Junhong Chen was the lead researcher for the study that led to the development of these real-time sensors.

The sensors can be immersed for long durations in liquid environments to monitor traces of heavy metals and/or bacteria including E. Coli.

Three Wisconsin based firms A.O. Smith, Badger Meter and Baker Manufacturing have licensed the intellectual property along with Pennsylvania’s Gannett Fleming, through the UWM Research Foundation.

The partners have also licensed a hand-held microfluidic sensor, which has been developed by UWM assistant professor Woo-Jin Chang and UW-Madison faculty member and co-inventor Sundaram Gunasekaran.

It can distinguish the presence of heavy metals at low levels and indicate the acid content (pH) of water.

The device uses low-cost, disposable paper strips and will be helpful for those who are collecting water samples in the field.