Handheld detection system is sensitive enough to catch just a few particles of norovirus

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An image showing a smartphone device detecting a norovirus

Source: © American Chemical Society

Researchers have converted smartphones into handheld norovirus-detection devices. Their system uses smartphones modified with a microscope attachment and a special app, and can detect the presence of just a few particles of norovirus.

The system could be used to detect the virus at sites at risk of contamination – for example at groundwater sources in areas with heavy septic tank usage, or on cruise ships, where outbreaks can spread quickly.

Read the full story in Chemistry World.

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