Our project, ECOS, is a biological sensor designed to detect aromatic hydrocarbons found in soil, particularly xylene, which corresponds to other carcinogenic compounds like benzene and toluene. In Consort, Alberta, our economy is based almost entirely on the agriculture and oil industry. These two portions of the economy coexist side by side; oil wells are drilled on land adjacent to crops and cattle. This poses an issue if oil spills occur.

While oil companies have strict regulations and protocols that they follow, it is always important that we increase our environmental stewardship. There is not a test currently that can check for oil contamination on site. There is little one can do after sending a sample to a lab and not receiving results back for weeks at a time. In order to properly monitor these sites, farmers and oil companies alike need the tools to do so. This is where we come in. ECOS will provide an on-site test that is cheap, efficient and easy. After talking to many community members we believe that our project could be used for semi-annual testing of sites, water monitoring and post spill monitoring, not only to be used in our local area, but all throughout the world.

This project is in its third year running; however our new perspective – developing a working prototype that the average person can use – is unparalleled to the previous advancement of this project. Our current team consists of six students and one teacher/leader, but the help we have received from our village of Consort extends to encompass the entirety of our community.