A low-cost, handheld water-testing gadget that connects to a smartphone to detect lead contamination in drinking water, the device offers fast, accurate results—bringing lab-level diagnostics into the hands of everyday users.
Lead exposure from aging pipes and fixtures remains a persistent health threat, especially for children, where even trace amounts can cause lasting neurological damage. Traditional water testing methods are often expensive, slow, and dependent on specialized lab equipment—barriers the E-Tongue aims to eliminate.
Researchers from University of Massachusetts Lowell have developed a low-cost, portable water-testing device dubbed the E-Tongue, designed to help households detect dangerous lead contamination in tap water. The technology was recently piloted in a citizen science project across four Massachusetts towns, with results published in ACS Omega.
Created by a team led by Dr. Pradeep Kurup at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, the E-Tongue uses a gold electrode sensor to identify lead ions in water. By applying and reversing a voltage, the device causes lead to bind to and then release from the sensor, producing an electrical current. The strength of this current corresponds to the lead concentration.
Results are instantly displayed via a connected smartphone app using a color-coded interface: green indicates safe levels, red signals danger, and users also receive precise contamination values. In testing with 317 residents, users simply mixed their tap water with a buffer solution, inserted the sensor, and operated the app through three simple taps—start, run, and end. The study collected 634 water samples, with 10 exceeding the EPA’s lead threshold of 10 parts per billion, and several others nearing it.
The readings closely matched those from standard lab testing, demonstrating its accuracy and reliability. Dr. Kurup emphasized the importance of putting “knowledge and power directly into people’s hands,” enabling individuals to protect their health and push for improved infrastructure. The team mentioned that this project marks a significant advance in consumer electronics for public health. The researchers hope the E-Tongue will soon see wider adoption, empowering communities to monitor and reduce heavy metal contamination in local water systems.
