Development of sensitive prototype sensor for monitoring insecticide residues in fruits and vegetables to address current MRLS

Date

2017

Abstract

The study focused on the design and fabrication of photodiode based transducer for a diffraction based biosensor for pesticide residue detection. The transducer device features a microcontroller-based data logging unit for measuring, recording and transmitting data while the sensors of this transducer features an array of photodiode for measuring multiple diffraction spots simultaneously. The aim of the transducer is for the measurement of the intensity of diffracted light spots, varied by the change in the refractive index of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme stamped fluid cell when profenofos or malathion insecticide was introduced. In order to simulate the reaction of the biological elements, a variable intensity laser driver was used for testing the device. Based on test results, at significance level of 5% it was found out that the fabricated transducer had no significant difference in response as compared to the laboratory photodetector. In general, the study succeeded on the design and fabrication of the transducer device as the device was able to record the reaction of actual samples. For further development, additional processing for immediate diffraction spot detection and percent intensity change calculation is recommended. Using acetylcholinesterase isolated from the pig brain as binding element, the diffraction based sensor was tested for profenofos and malathion. A linear calibration curve was made and the sensor has a limit of detection of 0.092 ppm for malathion and 0.079 ppm for profenofos. The commodities were also spiked with its maximum residue limit (MRL) concentration in order to generate the percent intensity range that will indicate compliance. The percent recoveries of the extract was within the matrix spiked percent recovery range which is between 75 to 125 percent recovery. Using the data, a pass or fail mechanism can be used since further analysis is needed to validate the method that will quantify the pesticide content of the commodities.

Language

English

Document Type

Article

Pages /Collation

97 leaves

En – AGROVOC descriptors

FRUITS; VEGETABLES; INSECTICIDES; RESIDUES; SENSORS; MAXIMUM RESIDUE LIMITS; BIOSENSORS; DESIGN; TECHNOLOGY; TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

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