Australian scientists monitor aftermath of massive flood

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Australian researchers are monitoring damage to Queenland’s water supply from a gargantuan 2011 flood, according to a press release from AB SCIEX, a manufacturer of analytical chemistry technology.

Water from excess rainfall and overfull rivers flooded an area of Australia the size of Germany and France combined from 2010 to 2011, according to the BBC. The floods affected around 200,000 people in the state of Queensland and forced evacuation of many major cities.

Scientists at the University of Queensland are investigating water pollution and runoff caused by the massive flood using mass spectrometer technology from AB SCIEX. Mass spectrometers allow the scientists to examine and follow chemical runoff.

The research is important as Queensland recovers from the floods. The press release reports that public health officials will look to the data when making decisions on the current safety of the state’s water.

University of Queensland scientists also use mass spectrometer technology to monitor herbicides in inshore reefs of the Great Barrier Reef and illicit drugs in waste water.

Image: Rockhampton, Australia, inundated by 2011 floods. (Credit: Jesse Allen/NASA)

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