Joosep Paats

Life-sustaining artificial kidney treatment or haemodialysis (HD) is needed for end-stage renal disease and critical care patients. High quality HD must ensure effective and personalized blood purification from harmful uremic toxins (UT), among inflammation-cardiovascular disease related middle size (MM)-UT. This, urged by a need for HD surveillance in crisis (coronavirus, war, energy), has created a demand for on-line, bloodless, and non-infectious tools for UT removal monitoring. Optical monitoring can provide a feasible tool for this. However, to date no reliable monitoring technology of MM-UTs is available. This project aims to fill this knowledge gap. Optical spectral signature identification combined with chromatographic and biochemical analyses to reveal the main optical MM markers in biofluids, selection of best signal processing algorithms, and a proof-of-concept in-vivo clinical study is planned to develop a novel optical technology for on-line MM-UT removal monitoring in HD.

Reliable monitoring of drinking water quality is of critical importance from a public health perspective, as it enables the prevention of diseases associated with microbiological and chemical contamination and contributes to the mitigation of related health risks. Continuous surveillance of drinking water quality is particularly essential in order to detect deterioration in water quality at the earliest possible stage and to enable timely intervention before contaminated water reaches consumers. In addition, drinking water quality is a key determinant in a range of industrial processes, including the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries, where variations in water composition may significantly affect process performance as well as product quality. The objective of this project is to conduct feasibility studies and experimental investigations that will provide a basis for assessing compliance with drinking water quality requirements through the application of optical spectral analysis and signal processing algorithms. The outcomes of the feasibility study will enable the evaluation of the suitability of optical and real-time measurement methods for drinking water quality monitoring and will establish a foundation for their further development and implementation in environmental, public health, and industrial technological applications