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DCU academic calls for increased water quality monitoring

Speaking in advance of the Dublin City University/University of Notre Dame Technology Touchdown symposium on marine pollution and sensing technology (Thursday 30th and Friday 31st August), DCU academic, Professor Fiona Regan has called for increased water quality monitoring to avoid the occurrence of marine pollution as recently experienced in the seas off Cork and Galway.

Professor Regan said,

"This event is a unique collaborative technical exchange where research ideas in the area of marine pollution and sensing technology from our two Universities will be shared. In light of the recent pollution which closed beaches in Cork and Galway, we really see the need to develop low cost monitoring devices like that being presented by DCU researcher, Dr Lorna Fitzsimons. Devices should be deployed all around the country and we should monitor the quality of our water continuously, so that we can be informed in real-time when events like that in Cork happen. We don't need sophisticated sensors everywhere, we just need the information at the right time. Drs Gary Lamberti and Jennifer Tank from Notre Dame will also present water monitoring devices that they have developed and they will discuss their application in the field."

The Technology Touchdown symposium has been planned to coincide with the 86th playing of the Navy-Notre Dame American Football Game in Dublin at the weekend. Organised by the Marine and Environmental Sensing Technology Hub (MESTECH) and the National Centre for Sensor Research at DCU, this symposium will explore specific areas of environmental challenge, including marine pollution, as well as sensing and monitoring development, and nanomaterial design and characterisation. Academics from DCU together with Notre Dame Environmental Change Institute and the Advanced Diagnostics & Therapeutics Initiative will speak on a wide range of issues including

• detection of rare species
• monitoring of the marine environment
• aquatic ecosystems
• development of nano-antimicrobial materials for prevention of biofouling
• collaboration opportunities.

For further information on the Technology Touchdown symposium, visit here.