Spanish researchers have developed a sensor that can detect the bacteria that cause biofouling, which are common in paper plants, especially those producing recycled paper.

The team also claims  to have found a system that can eradicate the bacteria in a way that is more environmentally friendly than current methods.

The identification technique has been developed by a team from the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Universidad Complutense in Madrid and identifies the most problematic bacteria.

Biocides are presently used to destroy the biofilms that can build up in factory equipment, but there is concern over the impact that they can have on the environment.

The new system can detect bacteria using a probe and fluorescent markers. This allows the number of bacteria present to be counted, and treatments can then be tailored to tackle the problem.