Michigan State University researchers have developed a new method for testing food and water for bacteria and viruses that drastically cuts the time from days to just a few hours. This innovative approach uses glycan-coated magnetic nanoparticles to isolate contaminants, with the glycan acting as a sugar that attracts and sticks to the proteins on the surface of the microbes. A magnet is then used to remove the nanoparticles and the attached contaminants from the sample.
Once the contaminants are removed, a biological sensor with gold nanoparticles is used to identify the specific type of bacteria by detecting its DNA. This
News Briefs: A Faster Method for Detecting Viruses in Water
Also in this week's water and wastewater news, an Arizona water agency evaluates proposals to increase the state's water supply, all of which are focused on desalination
Aug 28, 2025
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