Research Projects

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] in drinking water has a deleterious effect on human health as it is a proven carcinogen. Current methods of detection are complicated, costly and require skilled personnel for implementation. This project attempts to utilize ICT technology to develop an inexpensive, robust and easy-to-use smartphone-based detection method. When complexed with a specific reagent, Cr(VI) imparts a characteristic colour whose intensity depends on the chromium concentration present, but is not easily discernible with naked eye. A smartphone camera, however, can detect these small intensity changes. The reagent specificity for Cr(VI) also helps to avoid interferences from other water constituents, like turbidity. Accurate and instant estimation of Cr(VI) would empower communities to select Cr(VI)-free water among diverse sources for their domestic needs and also help them determine the right dosage of chromate-reducing agents to treat contaminated water. No such camera-based Cr(VI) detection method is currently available anywhere in the world.