Environmental Monitoring Lab-on-a-Chip

Environmental Monitoring Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC) technology is an innovative tool designed to detect and analyze pollutants and contaminants in air, water, and soil. These tiny devices integrate various laboratory functions to analyze environmental samples in real time and on-site. By combining microfluidics, sensors, and chemical analysis, environmental monitoring LoCs offer a rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective solution for detecting environmental hazards.

LoC devices for environmental monitoring are designed to process micro-samples, which are transported through a microfluidic system embedded in a chip. The chip integrates sensors and analyzers that can detect and measure pollutants such as heavy metals, pesticides, microbial contamination, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other environmental toxins. The high sensitivity of these devices can detect trace amounts of pollutants, making them very useful for early warning systems.

One of the main applications of environmental monitoring LoCs is water quality testing. These devices can measure the degree of contamination in rivers, lakes, and drinking water sources, providing important data on pollution levels. LoCs can detect bacterial contamination (e.g., E. coli) or toxic substances such as lead, arsenic, and mercury to ensure drinking water safety and safeguard public health. LoC can also be used for air quality monitoring, detecting harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. These real-time sensors can monitor industrial emissions and urban pollution, providing data to guide environmental regulations and public safety measures. Soil testing is another key application, where LoC helps identify pesticides, heavy metals, and other harmful chemicals. This rapid testing helps assess soil health, improve agricultural productivity, and pollution risks.

Overall, environmental LoC enables on-site, real-time, and cost-effective monitoring, allowing industry, governments, and communities to make informed decisions about environmental protection and pollution control.

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Reference

[1] Bidhan Chandra Dhar and Nae Yoon Lee, BioChip Journal 2018 (https://doi.org/10.1007/s13206-018-2301-5)