Glow-in-the-dark tampons could be used to show where sewage is seeping into rivers, scientists have suggested.
A study has found that tampons absorb even tiny amounts of “brighteners” found in detergents, toothpaste and shampoo and subsequently glow under UV light.
A team at the University of Sheffield has shown that “tampon tests” can be used to track down which houses sewage is coming from at river locations where a problem has been identified.
David Lerner, a professor of environmental engineering at the University of Sheffield who led the study, said: “Sewage in rivers is very unpleasant, very widespread and very difficult to track down. Our new method may be unconventional, but it’s cheap and it works.”
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
A study has found that tampons absorb even tiny amounts of “brighteners” found in detergents, toothpaste and shampoo and subsequently glow under UV light.
A team at the University of Sheffield has shown that “tampon tests” can be used to track down which houses sewage is coming from at river locations where a problem has been identified.
David Lerner, a professor of environmental engineering at the University of Sheffield who led the study, said: “Sewage in rivers is very unpleasant, very widespread and very difficult to track down. Our new method may be unconventional, but it’s cheap and it works.”
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
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