Scientists from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Research of Argentina (CONICET) and the University of Buenos Aires have developed a simple and quick method to measure phosphate levels using a conventional smartphone. The technology does not require expensive laboratory equipment and can be used in medicine, agriculture, environmental monitoring and water quality control.

The essence of the method is to use a special reagent that, when interacting with phosphates, dyes the solution in green for 30 minutes. The intensity of colouring depends directly on the concentration of the substance. The camera of the smartphone captures the color, and a special app analyzes the image and calculates the precise phosphate concentration. The reagent can be stored for more than a year at room temperature.

Development is particularly valuable for medicine - it can diagnose rare diseases such as hypophosphatemic rhitis - and for Argentine agriculture, because about 60% of the country’s cultivated land is phosphate deficient. The method is now going through a phase of patenting and preparation for commercial use.