Science Nation - Lab in a can

MILES O'BRIEN: It looks a lot like a garbage can, but it's actually a fully-functioning laboratory, thrown overboard to analyze water samples in the open ocean. One day, a machine like it might tell us whether a beach is safe for swimming, or if water is clean enough to drink. The so-called lab in a can is nicknamed ESP. CHRIS SCHOLIN: The ESP is the Environmental Sample Processor. And it's an instrument that collects water, allows you to extract particles from that, and use molecular probe technology to understand presence of certain organisms and their activities. MILES O'BRIEN: With support from the National Science Foundation, microbiologist Chris Scholin and his team at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, created the portable ESP to work on it's own so they don't have to travel back to the lab every time they want to analyze samples they collect at sea. CHRISTINA PRESTON: We have intake valves and we draw in sea water with a syringe. We create a vacuum and basically pull the sea water through a filter that collects a particular size of particles. MILES O'BRIEN: Using onboard robotics, ESP can do tests ranging from detecting microbes and toxins, to basic DNA analysis. JIM BIRCH: Each one of these lines represents a different organism. The ESP has enough battery power to last roughly 30 to 45 days. The goal is to have something that can go on for six months. MILES O'BRIEN: Researchers say an ESP network might one day crisscross our oceans monitoring for problems like oil spills, or on farms to detect microorganisms like salmonella in the water used to hose down crops before they're shipped to market. CHRIS MELANCON: Wouldn't it be great if we could detect out in the field before it gets into the packaging plant and ends on to peoples tables? CHRIS NEWMAN: I think it's real exciting stuff. All people who do aquaculture have to test water everyday. MILES O'BRIEN: Chris Newman is testing ESP at his fishpond to see if it accurately detects bacteria in his tanks. CHRIS NEWMAN: Water quality testing takes an immense amount of time. If you get it wrong, a whole bunch of fish can die on you. MILES O'BRIEN: Now Scholins team is working to pair ESP with an autonomous underwater vehicle, so it can go mobile. You might call it lab in a can 2.0. For Science Nation, I'm Miles O'Brien.