Quick and cheap pesticide detection. Cooperation with researchers from India | Gdańsk University of Technology

In November, a research team from the Department of Metrology and Optoelectronics at the Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, under the supervision of Robert Bogdanowicz, DSc, associate professor at Gdańsk Tech, visited Shiv Nadar University in Uttar Pradesh, one of the leading private universities in India, which Gdańsk University of Technology recently signed a letter of intent with. Under the supervision of Prof. Susanta Roy, the researchers studied diamond samples and discussed the test results of sensors for detection of toxic pesticides.

– We established liaison, and now we will try to obtain new resources for further research – says Prof. Robert Bogdanowicz. – The team of Prof. Roy is working on detection of pesticides and sensors within electrochemistry. We, on the other hand, specialize in production of electrodes, key element for pesticide detection.

– We plan to develop special electrodes, characterize their physicochemical properties and the team of Prof. Roy will work on detection of four most popular pesticides used in India – says Mateusz Ficek, PhD Eng from the research team. – Currently available solutions that detect these substances are cost-consuming and require large laboratories, whereas our method is to be quick, cheap and easy.

During the visit in India, Gdańsk Tech researchers also visited Alagappa University, which organized a conference devoted to biosensory research and electronics for energy solutions. Backstage discussions concerned the potential research cooperation, as well as staff and student exchange.

– We were also introduced to current research results, available research infrastructure and we established a number of direct research contacts – adds Prof. Bogdanowicz.

Moreover, the researchers paid a study visit to Prof. Arumugam Sonahalam, one of the project leaders in India who works on electrical diagnostic of the developed sensors at Bharathidasan University (BDU).

The trip was organized as part of bilateral cooperation financed within the scope of the partner program of the National Agency for Academic Exchange Poland-India, conducted in the years 2020-2023. Gdańsk University of Technology was represented by Prof. Robert Bogdanowicz, Mateusz Ficek PhD Eng, Srinivasu Kunuku PhD Eng, Michał Rycewicz MSc Eng and Maciej Głowacki, MSc Eng.