Imagine having a small, self-contained box sitting in a river or lake that constantly checks the water for harmful nutrients like nitrates and ammonia — the same way a smoke detector watches for fire. Right now, someone has to physically go out, collect a water sample, drive it to a lab, and wait days for results. By then, the pollution event may be long over. H2OMon built a device that does this testing automatically, on the spot, around the clock, and sends you an alert on your phone the moment something goes wrong.
Monitoring nutrient pollution in rivers, lakes, and coastal waters today means collecting physical samples and sending them to a lab — a process that is expensive, slow (results take days), and only captures a single snapshot in time. Meanwhile, current in-situ monitoring systems are too complex, too expensive, and too short-lived for most users, especially smaller operations. Companies and utilities face heavy fines for water pollution violations they cannot detect in time.
Tellab built a multi-parameter autonomous microfluidic device that continuously measures nitrate, phosphorous, and ammonia levels in natural waters on-site. The system includes self-calibration, a built-in communication module for remote monitoring and instant pollution alerts, and a process control add-on — all designed for long unattended deployment in lakes, rivers, estuaries, and coastal zones.
If you are a water utility dealing with nutrient pollution events that go undetected until lab results arrive days later — this project developed an autonomous in-situ monitor for nitrate, phosphorous, and ammonia that can reduce operating costs by 5%, saving up to €125,000 per year. The device sends immediate alerts when pollutant levels spike, letting you act before contamination spreads.
If you are a farming operation under pressure from tightening water nutrient pollution regulations and facing heavy fines for non-compliance — this project built a multi-parameter microfluidic device that monitors your discharge waters continuously. It deploys for long periods without maintenance and alerts you remotely, so you can prove compliance and avoid penalties.
If you are an aquaculture company where sudden nutrient spikes can kill stock worth hundreds of thousands — this project created a self-calibrating sensor system for lakes, rivers, estuaries, and coastal zones. It provides high-frequency measurements over long deployment periods and triggers immediate warnings, giving you time to protect your stock.
The project objective states the system can reduce operating costs by 5%, saving users up to €125,000 per year. It is specifically positioned as a low-cost alternative to current in-situ monitoring systems, which the team describes as unaffordable for many users, especially small operations. Exact unit pricing is not disclosed in the available project data.
Yes. The device includes a built-in communication system for remote monitoring and a process control add-on, meaning you can deploy units across multiple sites — lakes, rivers, estuaries, coastal zones — and manage them all remotely. The system is designed for long deployment periods with in-situ calibration, reducing the need for site visits.
The technology was developed by T.E. Laboratories Limited (Tellab), an Irish SME that is the sole owner and developer. As a single-partner SME Instrument project, all IP sits with Tellab. Licensing or purchase inquiries would go directly to the company. Based on available project data, they are pursuing direct commercial sales rather than licensing.
Directly. The project objective states the system is driven by the need to comply with increasingly tightly policed water nutrient pollution regulations, where infringements carry heavy fines. Continuous automated monitoring with immediate alerts provides documented evidence of compliance and early warning to prevent violations.
The system is described as an autonomous microfluidic device with in-situ calibration designed for long deployment periods. Unlike many current systems, it does not emit chemical reagents into the water, reducing both pollution and maintenance needs. Specific deployment duration figures are not provided in the available project data.
The device measures three key nutrient pollutants: nitrate, phosphorous, and ammonia. These are the primary nutrients regulated under EU water quality directives and are the main culprits behind eutrophication and algal blooms in natural waters.
According to the project data, the in-situ water monitoring market was projected to grow from €875 million to over €1 billion in 2021. The team projected accumulated revenue of €27.3 million and profit of €18.6 million over 5 years from their product.
This is a single-company project — T.E. Laboratories Limited (Tellab), an Irish SME that received the full €1,013,468 in EU funding under the SME Instrument Phase 2. There are no university or research partners, which tells you this is not a science experiment — it is a commercial product push by a company that already had a working technology and needed funding to get it to market. Tellab is a private, for-profit company specializing in water analysis, which means they have existing sales channels, customer relationships, and market knowledge. The 100% industry, 100% SME consortium is typical of SME Instrument projects that are closest to market deployment.
T.E. Laboratories Limited (Tellab) is an Irish water analysis SME — contact through their company website at tellab.ie
Want to explore how this water monitoring technology could solve your compliance or cost challenges? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the Tellab team and help assess fit for your specific use case.
