Methods for detecting and concentrating cancer-causing nitrosamines in water for easy at-home sensing
Official title: Project 3: Methods for Selective Extraction, Concentration and Detection of N-Nitrosamines
Funded at Massachusetts Institute of Technology · NIH-11398622 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A project to develop inexpensive, user-friendly materials and sensors so people can detect harmful nitrosamines in drinking water without needing specialized labs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2017 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $440,948 |
| NIH project number | 5P42ES027707-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11398622 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to a specific patient group; this is a technology that may ultimately benefit anyone exposed to nitrosamine-contaminated water.
✕Less likely to help
If someone has no access to water testing or does not use tap water, direct personal benefit may be limited.
What this research studies
This grant focuses on making water testing for nitrosamines affordable and easy enough for individuals to use. It aims to create porous, selective materials that capture nitrosamines and an optical sensor to identify NDMA fragments, enabling distributed sensing beyond centralized labs. The approach combines new materials with simple testing steps so people can monitor exposure in their own environment. Centralized lab confirmation will still occur for exact identification of which nitrosamines are present, linking home tests to public health data.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable everyday monitoring of hazardous water contaminants, helping people reduce exposure.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that similar sensing approaches can detect nitrosamines, but this project aims to bring testing to a consumer level.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Swager, Timothy M — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Swager, Timothy M
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.