1. IN EMERGING POLLUTANTS Dr. Ing. L. Sanfilippo – SYSTEA S.p.A., Italy
07/02/12
INNOVATIONS
IN EMERGING POLLUTANTS
OCEAN MONITORING
USING BIOSENSORS
Dr. Ing. L. Sanfilippo – SYSTEA S.p.A., Italy

2. COASTAL BUOY PIRAN - SLOVENIA
Integrated water quality monitoring system
SMS developed an automated networked system to monitor in situ and in real-time marine water chemical and ecological status in coastal areas
Okadaic acid
Domoic acd
Saxitoxin
Sequential automated methods improved in µMac-Smart instrumental prototype
Alexandrium minutum Dynophisis Psseudo Nitschia
Automated method developed and under integration into
µMac-Smart instrumental prototype after automatic sampling, preconcentration and cells lysis
Sulphonamides
Automated method improved into µMac-Smart & WIZ probe prototypes and coupled with automatic sampling and Solid Phase Extraction preconcentration
Ammonia Nitrate Nitrite Orthophosphate
WIZ multiparametric nutrient probe for these nutrients was extensively tested on the coastal buoy
ALGAL TOXINS
TOXIC ALGAL SPECIES
PHARMACEUTICALS
NUTRIENTS
We are currently participating in the EU project SMS that will deploy different biosensors in an automated networked system for the monitoring of seawater chemicals, toxins and harmful algal species. And our team is responsible for the development of a compatible biosensor for toxic algae detection.
Modular measurement prototypes:
FLOATING PLATFORM
LA SPEZIA - ITALY
COASTAL BUOY PIRAN - SLOVENIA
Coordinator
Prof. Giuseppe Palleschi
Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata
WIZ probe

3. ALGAL TOXINS DETECTION IN SEA WATER
PRINCIPLE

4. ALGAL TOXINS DETECTION IN SEA WATER
µMac-Smart module based on Enzyme Linked Immuno-Magnetic Optical (ELIMO) competitive assays for the quantitative sequential measurement of:
Okadaic acid
Domoic acid
Saxitoxin.
Typical reaction volume: 500 µL
Minimum reagents volume: 20 µL
The automated measurement module is capable to measure unattended up to 50 water samples.

5. AUTOMATED ALGAL TOXINS DETECTION

6. TOXIC ALGAE DETECTION IN SEA WATER
PRINCIPLE

7. TOXIC ALGAE DETECTION IN SEA WATER
µMac-Smart module based on Enzyme Linked Immuno-Magnetic Optical (ELIMO) assays is able to detect microalgae from genera Alexandrium, Dinophysis and Pseudo-nitzschia
The water sample is automatically pretreated by a separated automated module performing cells preconcentration and lysis.
Typical sample volume: 200 µL
Minimum reagents volume: 20 µL

8. CELLS PRECONCENTRATION AND LYSIS
AUTOMATED MODULE
Cells pre-concentration using an hollow fibre filter, 0.1 microns cut-off, specifically tailored for the application
Concentration factor x 2000
Reuse: 10 x without loosing recovery
Cells lysis of the pre-concentrated water sample by ultrasounds
Positive tests with lysate able to detect down to 5000 cells / L of Alexandrium minutum spiked in environmental sample (actual LOD).
Dimensions:
50 (H) x 40 (W) x 20 (D) cm

9. Calibration tests Spiked SeaWater with Alexandrium minutum cells
07/02/12

10. TOXIC ALGAE DETECTION IN SEA WATER for Toxic Algae Detection
Laboratory SYSTEA (Dec-Mar)
Laboratory MICROBIA (April-May)
µMac-Smart
for Toxic Algae Detection
SYS
MIC
MIC
Tests with
prototype
Manual Test

11. + Fully automated Integrated system for toxic algae detection:
From pre-concentration to detection +
Detection of Alexandrium minutum (AM) and PseudoNitzchia spp.(PN) in Seawater Lysates
Shown in equivalent cell numbers

12. SULPHONAMIDE DETECTION IN SEA WATER To achieve sensitive environmental
concentrations Solid Phase Extraction automated preconcentration device
is still under R&D +

13. NUTRIENTS DETECTION IN SEA WATER
WIZ in-situ multiparametric probe was installed in the Vida coastal buoy, to measure nutrients (NH3, NO3+NO2, NO2 and PO4), including 0.1 µm cut-off automatic filtration & autocleaning

14. NUTRIENTS DETECTION IN SEA WATER 

15. INTEGRATED WATER QUALITY MONITORING SYSTEM AND DATA MANAGEMENT
Local data acquisition & remote communication
WiFi to shore
side gateway
3G / UMTS

16. INTEGRATED MONITORING SYSTEM AND DATA MANAGEMENT (2)
A large coastal water buoy already in operation in Piran (Slovenia) is hosting the equipment to measure the following parameters:
Toxic algae species (Alexandrium Minutum, Pseudonitzschia or Dinophysis)
Dissolved nutrients (NH3, NO3, NO2, PO4) by WIZ in-situ probe µm cut-off filtration & autocleaning
Standard water quality parameters (Temperature, EC, pH, DO, Turbidity, Chlorophyll)
The field monitoring data are accessible from a remote Web server

17. INTEGRATED WATER QUALITY MONITORING SYSTEM AND DATA MANAGEMENT (3)
A relocatable floating platform is going to be deployed next week in the bay of La Spezia (Italy), for field monitoring of the following dissolved compounds (after 0.1 µm cut-off filtration with automatic cleaning by filtered sample backwash):
Domoic acid, Okadaic acid and Saxitoxin
Standard water quality parameters (Temperature, EC, pH, DO, Turbidity, Chlorophyll)
The field monitoring data are going to be available in the same remote Web server

18. 07/02/12
CONCLUSIONS
Innovative analytical methods were developed and fully automated, in the frame of the European funded research project SMS ( to measure toxic algae, their related algal toxins and sulfonammides, then coupled with nutrients detection in coastal water
Toxic algae and algal toxins methods are based on the same ELIMO µLFR analytical technology
Field tests are just starting in Slovenia and Italy and they will run until the beginning of August
Lab data comparisons and validation are going to be performed during the field tests
The ELIMO analytical concept allows its adaptation to detect other chemical and biological targets for coastal and even fresh water. 18