Abu dhabi: The second edition of the Water Quality Forum (WQF), which concludes today, gathered international experts to discuss the latest innovations in water quality and infectious disease prevention.
According to Emirates News Agency, Yohannes Mengistu Eshete, Country Director, Global Health International, Association of Public Health Laboratories (DPHL), Ethiopia, presented his country’s sewage surveillance project. He highlighted that wastewater monitoring is an essential tool for early pathogen detection, allowing policymakers to implement timely interventions before outbreaks spread. Ethiopia plans to expand the project and integrate it fully into the national epidemiological surveillance system.
Jason Moore, Senior Advisor for the GCC at Lyten Batteries, emphasized the significance of reliable water labeling and praised the UAE’s efforts in bottled water standards. He noted that Lyten’s graphene-based nanobatteries could be applied to water filtration in the future, potentially helping to secure sustainable freshwater in desert environments.
Professor Ryo Honda of Geosciences and Civil Engineering Faculty at Japan’s Kanazawa University stated that Japan is expanding wastewater monitoring to other Asian countries, tracking pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). He mentioned that results are shared daily online and through social media alerts, aiding residents in making informed choices about masks, gatherings, and safe public spaces.
Professor Haroun Shah from the University of West London discussed rapid bacterial detection methods, including MALDI-TUF mass spectrometry, which he said are accessible even in low-income countries. He added that Raman Spectroscopy could cut detection time to 10 seconds, with artificial intelligence further accelerating sample processing.
Dr. Farida Al Hosani, Deputy CEO of the Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE), stated that the institute supports surveillance initiatives worldwide, including using wastewater networks to detect polio. She emphasized the role of genetic testing and AI in forecasting outbreaks before they occur.
The event is organized by M42 Environmental Sciences in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC).