Artificial Mussel (AM) is a passive sampling device specifically invented for monitoring metals/radionuclides in freshwater, marine water and waterwater. It consists of a newly synthesized chelating complex suspended in artificial seawater within a Perspex tubing enclosed with semi-permeable gel at both ends.

Artificial Mussels overcome the problems and limitations presented by existing metal/radionuclides monitoring methods using water, sediment, and mussels. This low-cost monitoring device (ca. US$1.5 each) provides a new and highly promising alternative for environmental monitoring of metals and radionuclides with zero-energy input, is easy to use, and for the first time, provides a standardized tool for monitoring heavy metals and radionuclides in different aquatic environments globally.

At present, we are collaborating with Hong Kong Government departments, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (Greece), Xiamen University (China) and Seoul National University (South Korea) for field monitoring of radionuclides and metals using our Artificial Mussels. Collaborating with the State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, arrangements have been made to deploy Artificial Mussels in 50 countries worldwide by 2025 through the 10-year “Global Estuaries Monitoring (GEM) Programme”, endorsed by the United Nations.