Heavy Metal Detector

In recent years, testing water for heavy metal contaminants has become increasingly important as the use of pesticides and fertilizers, improper disposal of electronic waste and human activity contribute more and more to pollution of our water systems. But collecting and monitoring is a resource-intensive task, and transporting samples is time-consuming and expensive. So engineers developed a way to simplify the process so that anyone can monitor their water quality.

Solid-phase extraction, preservation, storage, transportation and analysis of trace contaminants – or SEPSTAT for short – is an inexpensive, whisk-looking device that absorbs trace contaminants of heavy metals, such as lead, copper, nickel and cadmium when swirled in a sample of water. Propeller-like panels made from a polymer mesh contain ion-exchange resin beads that bind with metals in the water. The device is then left to dry before being shipped to a lab. At the laboratory, it’s dipped into hydrochloric acid, which releases the metal ions for analysis by a mass spectrometer.

Tests have shown that SEPSTAT preserves about 94 percent of contaminants in each sample. The device costs about $2.00 to produce and could greatly enhance water quality testing, particularly in remote areas.