Das Projekt "Pollution monitoring in the nairobi river: application of new and robust biosensor technologies adapted to locally available resources" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von GSF - Forschungszentrum Umwelt und Gesundheit GmbH, Institut Ökologische Chemie durchgeführt. Most communities living in slum areas along Nairobi river and Nakivumbu wetland use untreated water for drinking and for domestic activities. Pesticide residues, pathogenic bacteria, and heavy metals are thus a major health concern. Present day assessment of contamination rely on culture methods and chemical analysis despite low reliability for detection of bacteria and their pathogenicity. It is our objective to develop and adapt molecular based methods to identify and quantify pesticide residues and pathogenic bacteria directly in given environmental water samples and to assess the state of health. We will combine phage antibody technology, 16s rDNA and rRNA sequences to identify the pesticides, indicate bacterial activity and assess infection risks. These will be combined with biosensor technologies to rapidly monitor the health of the water environment. The applicability will be tested in Nairobi river and Nakivumbu wetland.