IIT Roorkee Researchers Develop Specific Bacterial Biosensor To Detect Environmental Pollutant

Dehradun: A five-member Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee team developed the world’s first specific reliable bacterial biosensor that can detect the presence of common environmental pollutant: Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS), reported news agency ANI.

These are extensively used in soaps, toothpaste, creams, shampoos, laundry detergents, agricultural operations, laboratories and industries. However, its disposal in waterways has negatively impacted aquatic organisms and microcosms, besides deteriorating the quality of drinking water.

IIT Roorkee researchers developed a whole-cell biosensor using Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 strain as a framework (chassis).

“We have developed a biosensor to detect the presence of harmful detergent (SDS ) in the environment after redesigning the DNA in bacteria (which gives signal in the form of a green fluorescent protein. The highlight of this biosensor is its sensitivity to even minute quantities of SDS in the environment and its ability to distinguish between SDS and SDBS (sodium dodecybenzenesulfonate),” Naveen Kumar Navani, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Roorkee was quoted as saying by the agency.

“This is the world’s first whole-cell bacterial biosensor for direct, specific and efficient detection of SDS, without involving sample preparation steps, toxic chemicals, sophisticated polymers and sensor development steps” final year MSc student at IIT Roorkee, Sourik Dey was quoted.