IIT Bombay Develops AroTrack

• 22 Nov 2024

In November 2024, scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) unveiled AroTrack, an economical and portable device designed to detect harmful pollutants such as phenol and benzene in water.

Key Points

• Technological Innovation: AroTrack uses engineered bacterial proteins to identify multiple aromatic pollutants in water.
• It detects pollutants through a chemical reaction that changes the colour of the solution, which the device can then measure.
• Cost-Effective Solution: The device, costing under Rs 5,000, aims to provide affordable water testing solutions for rural and low-income regions, where access to expensive laboratory tests is limited.
• Biosensor Module: The key component, MopR, is capable of detecting phenol.
• Further modifications allow it to detect other aromatic pollutants such as benzene and xylenols.
• High Accuracy: AroTrack reliably detects contaminants even at low concentrations (10-200 parts per billion) and offers results in under 30 minutes with accuracy comparable to modern spectrophotometers.
• Field Usability: The device is compact, battery-operated, and can be used in a variety of environmental conditions, including temperatures up to 50°C, making it ideal for field use.
• Market Readiness: AroTrack is currently an initial functional prototype. Further field trials and quality assessments are needed to finalize the product for widespread use.