** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** HUMANS USE FRESH WATER FOR DRINKING, IRRIGATION, PRODUCING ENERGY, AND INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY. GLOBALLY, OVER 70% OF FRESHWATER IS USED FOR AGRICULTURE TO PRODUCE CROPS, WHICH PROVIDE 30-40% OF THE WORLD'S GROSS FOOD OUTPUT. WITH THE INCREASING GROWTH OF THE GLOBAL HUMAN POPULATION, FRESHWATER USAGE IS PROJECTED TO GROW TO MEET THE NEEDS OF GROWING DEMAND FOR CROPS. IT IS INEVITABLE TO SEEK ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF WATER, SUCH AS RECYCLED WATER AND AGRICULTURAL RETURN FLOWS, TO GUARANTEE FOOD AND WATER SECURITY. HOWEVER, POORLY MONITORED RECYCLED WATER AND RETURN FLOWS CAN TRANSMIT WATERBORNE DISEASES TO CONSUMERS. IF THE PRESENCE OF PATHOGEN(S) CAN BE IDENTIFIED, SPECIALIZED CORRECTIVE COUNTERMEASURES COULD BE EXECUTED TO INCREASE THE QUALITY OF RETURN FLOWS AND RECYCLED WATER FOR IRRIGATION, THEREBY QUENCHING THE INCREASING NEED FOR FRESHWATER USAGE. TO MITIGATE SUCH A LARGE-SCALE PROBLEM, TECHNOLOGIES ARE NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING QUESTION: HOW CAN WE ASSURE THE QUALITY OF RETURN FLOW AND RECLAIMED WATER?IN THIS PROPOSAL, WE WILL ADDRESS THIS QUESTION BY PAIRING C60 PROBES THAT TARGET 16S RRNA SEQUENCE FOR IDENTIFICATION WITH MICROCHIPS THAT MULTIPLEX THE TESTS. BIOSPECIMENS COLLECTED FROM FARMS AND WATER TREATMENT PLANTS WILL ALSO BE TESTED. WE AIM TO (I) DEVELOP C60 PROBES FOR WATERBORNE PATHOGENS, (II) DEVELOP AND VALIDATE MICROCHIPS FOR MULTIPLEXING WATERBORNE PATHOGENS, AND (III) VALIDATE NOVEL EFFICIENT METHODS FOR STERILIZATION. THIS PROPOSED TECHNOLOGY WILL BE ABLE TO PROFILE MULTIPLE PATHOGENS SIMULTANEOUSLY IN 15 MINUTES FROM END-TO-END COST-EFFECTIVELY.