A novel test strip for toxicity assessment using luminescent bacteria in hydrogel

Herein we report a novel test strip capable of rapid water toxicity assessment, which is economical and easily applicable compared with conventional methods, and is especially useful for field application. The test trip is made from hydrogel containing Vibrio fischeri. The toxicity assessment is based on the measurement of the changing of bacterial bioluminescence when water pollutants exist. The test trip was validated with different metal ions and organic compounds representing various pollutants. Our tests showed a great linear relation between the gamma value (Gamma(t)) and the concentrations of pollutants. The strip also showed high reliability and reproducibility when tested with real water samples, which suggested its potential application in environmental applications.