VOA常速英语:A Cheap Test for Potable Water

Drinking water contaminated with bacteria can easily lead to massive disease outbreaks such as the cholera epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo where over 1000 people have died since July 2017.
受细菌污染的水如果被饮用，很容易就会导致大规模疾病的爆发，比如自2017年7月在刚果民主共和国爆发的大规模霍乱，其中有1000多人丧生。

Testing water for bacterial contamination is relatively easy but still beyond the means of the poor people living in affected areas.
检测受到细菌污染的水源是不难的，但对于某些水源地受到污染又很落后的地区来说，这也是办不到的。

Researchers at the University of Bath in southwestern England are testing a simple and cheap device that could help ordinary people check their water.
在英格兰西南部的巴斯大学的研究人员正在测试一款既简便又便宜的设备，可以帮助普通居民检查他们的水质。

They can be used at site and it gives a very fast response so we are talking about seconds.
它们可以当场使用，而且可以做出很迅速的反应，我们在说的以秒为单位。

Biodegradable carbon-based electrodes printed on a piece of paper are covered with a layer of fluid called the biofilm.This generates an electrical charge that can be recorded with a current measuring instrument.
可降解的碳源电极被印在一张纸上，并覆盖了一层叫做生物膜的可流动薄膜。这产生了一种电荷，可被一个能测量电流的工具记录下来。

All the we need to do is then recording the background current signal that this device gives us and then put it into the sample or water that we want to test and see what are these signal drops or stay constant.If it drops it means there is something that in the water.
我们要做的不过就是照着设备给我们的数据记录下后台的电流信号，然后把它放到待检的样品或水样中，看这个信号是下降了还是保持不变。如果它下降了那就说明水质有问题。

Instead of a current measuring instrument, the paper sensor could be connected to a mobile phone.
取代了用工具记录电流信号，这个纸传感器可与手机直接相连。

It’s like a warning tool that tells you at site, yes the water is safe or not.
就像一个警报器一样，它会当场告诉你水质安全与否。

Researchers say when mass-produced, this biofilm device will cost just over 1 dollar.
研究人员称，当此生物膜检水设备大规模生产时，每个只售一美元多一点。

George Putic, VOA News.
美国之音新闻，George Putic报道。