Researchers develop rapid test strips for bacterial contamination in swimming water

Researchers at McMaster University have developed a rapid testing method using a simple paper strip that can detect E. coli in recreational water within minutes with much greater accuracy than existing portable technology. This new tool can contribute to improved global public safety. The work is described in a paper published in the journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. “Coliforms are always a big problem,” says the paper’s lead author John Brennan, a McMaster chemistry professor who holds the Canada Research Chair in Bioanalytical Chemistry. “The methods used to detect outbreaks are slow, and tend not to be portable, as they often need a lab-based amplification step prior to testing, causing a time lag between an outbreak and a beach closure.” These new strips are coated with chemicals that react to the bacteria, and are printed using inkjet technology. Within 30 minutes of sampling, the paper changes colour to indicate the presence of E. coli, with colours coded to represent different forms and concentrations of the bacteria. Commercialization of a final product could take as little as two to three years.