Researchers at IIT-Guwahati have developed nanosenor from milk protein and thymine for instant detection of cancer-causing water pollutants, the institute said on Monday.

Using carbon dots and ultraviolet lights, the sensor can detect mercury and harmful antibiotic contamination in less than 10 seconds, it said.

With rapid urbanisation, industrial activities and overuse of pharmaceuticals, water contamination is becoming a pressing issue, putting ecosystems and human health at risk worldwide, the institute said in a statement.