Data availability
All relevant data supporting the findings of this study are provided within the manuscript and its Supplementary Information files. Additional raw data (images, colorimetric outputs, Python scripts, and 3D design files) are openly available at GitHub SensAr-Biosensor under license CC-BY 4.0.
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Acknowledgements
Since the inception of this project at the end of 2012, many individuals and institutions have contributed. We thank B. Basanta, H. Bonomi, N. Carlotto, M. Giménez, A. Grande, N. Nieto Moreno, F. Barone, F. Dorr, L. Marasco, S. Mildiner, I. Patop, S. Sosa, L. Vattino, and F. Vignale for initial steps in designing the biological components. We also acknowledge Romina Mathieu and Luciana Feo Mourelle for early physical prototypes. Special thanks to I. Patop, S. Sosa, and F. Vignale for pushing the project to receive the “Innovative Product” Prize at the Argentinian Innovation Contest Innovar 2014.We are grateful to the Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (University of Buenos Aires) and GarageLab for providing the foundational environment. This project was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MINCyT), the Ministry of Education (SPU), ANPCYT (PICT-2015-3834), Universidad de Buenos Aires (PDE 24, 2024), and numerous contributors to our crowdfunding campaign on idea.me. We also thank Dr. J.R. Van der Meer and Dr. Vladimir Sentchilo for providing the ArsR plasmids and A. Rossen, L. Sierra and M.E. Zabala from INA and IHLLA for sharing samples and data of their water campaigns. Finally, we acknowledge Prof. Verónica Liñares for assistance in translating sections of the article.
Funding
Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (PICT-2015-3834); Universidad de Buenos Aires (PDE 24, 2024).
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Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Open hardware documentation
STL files, CAD designs, Plasmid sequence, and instructions for printing/assembly are available at GitHub SensAr-Biosensor. Physical plasmid can be requested in Addgene 240494.
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Gasulla, J., Teijeiro, A.I., Alba Posse, E.J. et al. Design and implementation of an open-access arsenic biosensor. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-38693-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-38693-3
