Arsenic is a naturally occurring element widely distributed in the earth's crust and a common contaminant of drinking water. Exposure to arsenic can cause a variety of adverse health effects, including dermal changes, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, genotoxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. Arsenic contamination of drinking water has been reported globally with dangerously high levels in several countries, including EU countries. The World Health Organization's recommended maximum arsenic contamination level for drinking water is 10 ppb. A particular practical issue when addressing arsenic contamination in the real world (as opposed to the academic laboratory) is the large variation in arsenic contamination levels in wells only a few metres apart.

Laboratory based analytical procedures have previously been developed to allow detection of low levels of arsenic contamination. The development of reliable electrochemical methods suitable for the development of low cost hand-held test instruments has been hampered by the presence of other contaminants (lead, copper, zinc, iron, antimony, bismuth, selenium, silver and mercury) in real world water samples. The presence of copper as Cu(II) is the most common source of interference and has to date prevented the development of instruments for use in field testing.

A UK university has developed a novel method for detecting arsenic contamination with high sensitivity. The method allows the development of small low-cost devices that can be directly applied in the field.

Innovative Aspects:
Using novel modified glassy carbon electrodes electrochemical techniques have been developed which allow determination of low levels of arsenic contamination even in samples containing high levels of Cu(II) as a co-contaminant. This invention will enable the development of new testing low-cost devices with high sensitivity that can be directly applied in the field.