Scientists in China have used gold nanoparticles to develop a test for the presence of melamine in liquids.

A group of researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have employed the precious metal in their research into ways of detecting the substance, which was at the centre of a baby milk health scare in the country last year, Ars Technica reports.

Led by Lehui Lu, the team attached cyanuric acid to gold nanoparticles in order to turn them red. When they come into contact with melamine, the cyanuric acid detects the chemical and causes the nanoparticles to turn blue, indicating that melamine is present.

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The test has been proved to work with contaminated and uncontaminated milk samples, but the scientists are hoping to develop the technique further so that it is effective when used in solid foods such as eggs.

Researchers have also used gold in the development of nanorobots, which are to be tested at the RoboCup event in Austria later this month.

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