« Completed Open Innovation Challenges

Arsenic Penny-per-Test Challenge

Arsenic contamination of groundwater in Bangladesh is a serious problem. Seventy five million people are already at risk and 24 million more are continually exposed to arsenic contamination. Most stages of arsenic poisoning are seen in Bangladesh and the risk of arsenic poisoning increases daily.

The Challenge

To design an arsenic test that costs less than a penny per test and which can be manufactured and distributed locally, throughout Bangladesh and elsewhere. The need is for a test that can be used by local people individually to test the safety of their water as frequently as needed. Currently available arsenic dipstick tests from Merck cost much more than a penny.

Key Features

The test should be accurate, affordable and safe for use by anyone in a community, including people with little or no formal education. Villagers must be able to use the test without fear of errors or hazard. The test has to be reliable and trusted.

Criteria for Success

1. Accurate - The test must give the right answer 99.9% (or so) of the time;
2. Reliable - Users must have confidence that it will work effectively every time it is used;
3. Sensitive - Able to unambiguously detect arsenic in local water at a sensitivity of 50 ppb (Bangladeshi standard) or and preferably able to detect 10 ppb (WHO standard);
4. Accessible - Compliance is essential, so the test must be simple to use (e.g., similar to pH paper) and easy to understand by unsophisticated users. Results must be obvious and unambiguous (e.g., Green is safe, Red is not); and,
5. Inexpensive - Cost must be less than a penny per test, so it can be used as necessary, potentially daily.

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