Pesticides can be absorbed, accumulated, metabolized in plants and / or released into the environment. The aim of this project is to develop selective and ultra sensitive microsensors with electrochemical detection, easy to use, portable and suitable for mass production, which can electrochemically detect residues of organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides present in various samples (as selective biomarkers of exposure in plants, water and fruit juices).
The project will integrate rapid extraction techniques, biosensor technology, design of specific microsensors for the detection of 2 important classes of organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides. 2 technologies will be implemented that will create selectivity and specificity for the detection of the two classes of pesticides: molecular printing methodology (MIP) and zirconium nanoparticles that have affinity for the phosphoric groups of the analyzed pesticides. All these solutions offered to increase analytical performance will lead to the development of a prototype microsensor tool that could detect and measure electrochemically and rapidly organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides.