A small group of researchers from Hong Kong has presented a small object with big ambitions. No, this is not a super computer or a particle accelerator. Simply, these are special gel containers renamed "artificial mussels". What do they have in common with well-known mussels?
The team made up of scholars from 3 universities in Hong Kong modified containers initially designed to detect heavy metals in the seas. Result? They have become sophisticated "hunters" of radioactive contaminants. An efficient and economical answer to monitor radiological pollutants on our blue planet.
Artificial mussels to the rescue
“Our research confirms that these artificial mussels can overcome the limitations of traditional detection methods.” Talking is Rudolf Wu Shiu-sun, professor of environmental science at the Hong Kong University of Education and project leader.
He's right. These tiny technological marvels can make all the difference in maintaining environmental and food safety. Most importantly, they can offer a convenient and cost-effective method of monitoring radionuclides in water.
Small and convenient
The palm-sized, cylindrical devices cost about 8 Hong Kong dollars (one euro) each. Very little! As such, they have the potential to be deployed on a large scale to track the movement of contaminants.
The news comes on the same day that the IAEA, International Atomic Energy Agency, presented an investigation report on the wastewater release processed by the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The disaster at the Japanese nuclear power plant, "triggered" by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011, sparked outrage and fears which, 12 years later, show no signs of abating.
Comparison with the old method
Traditionally, testing radiation levels in marine environments requires collecting hundreds of liters of water for analysis. However, this method has its flaws. Contaminants can be distributed unevenly, and this could lead to inaccurate, if not completely off, results.
“Artificial mussels” can absorb uranium, cesium and strontium, radioactive materials usually found in nuclear waste. This allows researchers to measure the concentration of contaminants in each device. What's more: it allows them to create a more precise mapping of concentrations.
The absorption process, which takes between seven and eight weeks, will provide a more reliable indication of the concentration and variation of radioactivity than traditional methods.
Artificial mussels, they are not good but they are good
The large-scale applicability and accuracy of the results they can provide make artificial mussels a promising research tool.
It cannot be denied that science has its own way of surprising us. How many have we seen? A bacterium who eats plastic? I got it. A mushroom that does it “transform” into different materials? I have this too. What else? Artificial mussels hunting for radioactivity? Yes, human genius never ceases to amaze me.
The next time I find myself in front of a plate of mussels I will think of their "nuclear" cousins. And of course I will avoid abusing the "natural" ones, or I will have to check the radioactivity levels in the bathroom too. Oh well, I've said it now. Until next time.
