Fluorescence sensing strip for rapid acrylamide detection in water

Overview

This solution is a portable fluorescence-based sensing strip designed for the rapid detection of acrylamide in water at single-digit parts-per-billion (ppb) concentrations. Acrylamide is a known contaminant of concern in drinking water and food safety, and current detection methods rely on expensive, laboratory-based instrumentation. By combining quantum dot (QD) fluorescence materials with molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) recognition layers, the sensing strip delivers high sensitivity and selectivity in a compact, field-deployable format. The technology is paired with a portable detector, enabling real-time water quality assessment outside of laboratory settings.

The core value proposition is the transformation of a proven laboratory technique into an accessible, cost-effective, and user-friendly tool. Potential applications include drinking water monitoring, food safety testing, industrial wastewater screening, and environmental compliance assessments. By enabling rapid, on-site detection, this technology can help water utilities, food processors, and environmental agencies make faster, more informed decisions about contamination events.

Technical specifications

Key features:

• MIP-QD sensing layer: Combines molecularly imprinted polymers for selective acrylamide recognition with quantum dots that produce a measurable fluorescence signal
• Switch-on fluorescence technique: Converts conventional quenching-based detection to a signal-enhancement approach, producing higher signals at higher acrylamide concentrations and improving the detection limit
• Solid-phase sensing format: Eliminates the need for liquid sample preparation, simplifying the measurement process and reducing analysis time to approximately 10 minutes
• UV-LED activation: Uses compact, low-power UV light sources instead of bulky laboratory spectrophotometers
• Portable detector integration: Designed to work with a handheld reader, enabling field deployment
• Propionamide dummy template: Uses a structural analogue as the imprinting template to avoid contamination from residual acrylamide in the polymer matrix
• Chitosan-imprinted network on PEG-coated magnetite nanoparticles: Provides a stable, producible solid-phase sensing material with potential for scalable manufacturing

Technology readiness level

The underlying MIP-QD fluorescence detection approach has been validated in laboratory settings at UBC Vancouver for detecting chemical contaminants in water, including compounds such as 2,4-D and MCLR, achieving detection limits improved by an order of magnitude compared to liquid-based methods. Recent published research has demonstrated that the switch-on technique can reduce detection limits from 7 ppb to 0.5 ppb for similar contaminants. The current project aims to combine these two validated advancements specifically for acrylamide detection and produce a working prototype sensing device for testing. The technology is at an early-to-mid stage of development, with material optimization, characterization, and prototype validation as the next steps before commercial readiness.