New lab in Abu Dhabi to alert against viruses

A wastewater monitoring lab will be set up in Abu Dhabi to analyse sewage for tracking infectious diseases.

It will use AI-powered data analysis and automated sampling to test for chemical, physical, and biological hazards.

Making the announcement, the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) said it will act as an early warning system against potential contaminants that could adversely affect public health or the environment, and will support authorities to fully combat contaminants as they emerge.

The lab, built in collaboration with G42, will be operational in 12 months.

The move follows the successful trial programme that screened wastewater to trace the spread of COVID-19. 

"Our objective is to protect the community at all times by developing systems to detect and curb threats to public health," said Awaidha Murshed Al Marar, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy.

The facility, which will analyse wastewater samples for harmful biotoxins, pathogens, and industrial chemicals, will be the first of its kind in the Mena region, added Ashish Koshy, CEO, G42 Healthcare.

.@AbuDhabiDoE has announced the launch of a Wastewater Monitoring Lab in collaboration with G42, to further protect public health and the environment following the successful trial programme to test for traces of the virus that causes #Covid_19. pic.twitter.com/FQcDlP2JJn

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) June 20, 2021