Low-Cost AIE-Based Fluorescent Probes for Rapid Detection of Rural Water Contaminants and Pesticides

Agricultural runoff frequently contaminates rural groundwater with pesticides and heavy metals. Traditional water testing requires sending samples to distant laboratories, a process that is expensive, slow, and often inaccessible to remote communities.

This project translates advanced aggregation-induced emission (AIE) chemistry into simple, field-ready testing kits. These fluorescent probes visually light up in the presence of specific molecular contaminants, providing instant, on-site results.

Researchers synthesized highly specific AIE molecules that bind to targeted toxins like arsenic and organophosphates. These molecules were then embedded into low-cost paper test strips. A simple portable UV light is used to read the fluorescence intensity.

The lab has finalized the synthesis of probes for three major regional contaminants. Field validation testing is currently occurring alongside standard lab mass-spectrometry to ensure the paper strips provide reliable quantitative estimations.

By empowering communities to test their own water instantly and affordably, this project dramatically reduces exposure to chronic toxins, preventing severe public health crises and waterborne diseases.

We are developing a complementary smartphone app that uses the device's camera to read the fluorescence intensity and automatically map contamination hotspots across the region.