NCKU unveils world’s first mobile lab with water testing system - CNA
NCKU unveils world’s first mobile lab with water testing system
National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) Department of Environmental Engineering and the Water Resources Agency (WRA) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan had jointly launched the world’s first mobile laboratory in a van equipped with water monitoring system which can provide accurate test result within 2 hours, the university announced recently.
Integrating the functions of water quality monitoring as well as optical, immunological and molecular biological techniques, the newly invented mobile lab can provide accurate test measurements within 2 hours, said Distinguished Professor Dr. Tsair-Fuh Lin from the NCKU Department of Environmental Engineering.
He also pointed out that the lab also monitors the growth of algae and eutrophication of reservoir, thus ensuring continuous provision of safe and clean drinking water.
This technology has attracted the attention of countries such as China and Australia, who are now actively seeking cooperation with NCKU in relation to this technology.
NCKU Office of R&D Vice President Dr. Hong Paul Wang explained NCKU’s academia-industry collaboration performance is consistently the highest in the country as NCKU not only focuses on academic research, the university also puts in lots of efforts into domestic industries.
Through continuous innovation and R&D, Dr. Lin has successfully developed a vehicle equipped with mobile monitoring system featuring rapid testing and powerful functions which is capable of greatly reducing water risk domestically, and his invention is a great contribution to the country, according to Dr. Wang.
Since 2009, WRA and NCKU have cooperated in efforts to monitor domestic water quality through water quality bulletin and research program.
The mobile lab is already in operation and currently touring the country, providing rapid monitoring of water quality, according to WRA Deputy Chief Engineer Cheng-Daw Hsieh.
Introducing the mobile lab, Dr. Lin said that various laboratory instruments and techniques are equipped in the van, including real-time quantitative polymerase reaction apparatus (qPCR), fluorescent in-situ in vivo probe (IVF probe), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), optical microscopes, spectrophotometers and others, as well as optical, immunological and molecular biological techniques.
These complementary testing techniques which can be used to cross-check against each other, are applicable in detecting and analyzing 26 important characteristics of microcystis, algae and coliform group by modeling and mechanizing techniques and equipments for the detection of harmful algae, microcystis, odor substances and harmful micro-organisms.
This invention can be swiftly moved to nearby water sources to obtain samples and carry out analyses on the spot.
“Previous water quality monitoring process, starting from detection, notification testing, field sampling, laboratory analysis, result report to activating relevant warning or contingency mechanism, usually takes at least 2 days,” explained Dr. Lin.
“Within this period, toxins, odor substances or harmful microorganisms will most likely have contaminated public water system and affected public water safety, hence denting public confidence in environmental and water supply unit.”
In the past 2 years, the mobile lab has traveled to 34 reservoirs around the island to carry out water monitoring, as well as to collect samples and verify analyses of field samples.
Such effort aims to establish seasonal water reservoir characteristics and reservoir algae toxin response mechanism and monitoring operations, as well as to provide technical advice and analysis regarding reservoir eutrophication, harmful algae, microcystis and micro-organisms.
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National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) Department of Environmental Engineering and the Water Resources Agency (WRA) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan had jointly launched the world’s first mobile laboratory in a van equipped with water monitoring system which can provide accurate test result within 2 hours, the university announced recently.
Integrating the functions of water quality monitoring as well as optical, immunological and molecular biological techniques, the newly invented mobile lab can provide accurate test measurements within 2 hours, said Distinguished Professor Dr. Tsair-Fuh Lin from the NCKU Department of Environmental Engineering.
He also pointed out that the lab also monitors the growth of algae and eutrophication of reservoir, thus ensuring continuous provision of safe and clean drinking water.
This technology has attracted the attention of countries such as China and Australia, who are now actively seeking cooperation with NCKU in relation to this technology.
NCKU Office of R&D Vice President Dr. Hong Paul Wang explained NCKU’s academia-industry collaboration performance is consistently the highest in the country as NCKU not only focuses on academic research, the university also puts in lots of efforts into domestic industries.
Through continuous innovation and R&D, Dr. Lin has successfully developed a vehicle equipped with mobile monitoring system featuring rapid testing and powerful functions which is capable of greatly reducing water risk domestically, and his invention is a great contribution to the country, according to Dr. Wang.
Since 2009, WRA and NCKU have cooperated in efforts to monitor domestic water quality through water quality bulletin and research program.
The mobile lab is already in operation and currently touring the country, providing rapid monitoring of water quality, according to WRA Deputy Chief Engineer Cheng-Daw Hsieh.
Introducing the mobile lab, Dr. Lin said that various laboratory instruments and techniques are equipped in the van, including real-time quantitative polymerase reaction apparatus (qPCR), fluorescent in-situ in vivo probe (IVF probe), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), optical microscopes, spectrophotometers and others, as well as optical, immunological and molecular biological techniques.
These complementary testing techniques which can be used to cross-check against each other, are applicable in detecting and analyzing 26 important characteristics of microcystis, algae and coliform group by modeling and mechanizing techniques and equipments for the detection of harmful algae, microcystis, odor substances and harmful micro-organisms.
This invention can be swiftly moved to nearby water sources to obtain samples and carry out analyses on the spot.
“Previous water quality monitoring process, starting from detection, notification testing, field sampling, laboratory analysis, result report to activating relevant warning or contingency mechanism, usually takes at least 2 days,” explained Dr. Lin.
“Within this period, toxins, odor substances or harmful microorganisms will most likely have contaminated public water system and affected public water safety, hence denting public confidence in environmental and water supply unit.”
In the past 2 years, the mobile lab has traveled to 34 reservoirs around the island to carry out water monitoring, as well as to collect samples and verify analyses of field samples.
Such effort aims to establish seasonal water reservoir characteristics and reservoir algae toxin response mechanism and monitoring operations, as well as to provide technical advice and analysis regarding reservoir eutrophication, harmful algae, microcystis and micro-organisms.
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