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Tuesday, 3rd March 2009 (1255 views)

Gold nanosensors can be used to help farmers monitor their crops, new research has suggested.

Chemist at Cornell University Aaron Strickland told EarthSky that mixing small amounts of gold nanoparticles with crop spray enables growers to detect the pesticide with a hand-held scanner, giving them the ability to detect what additives have been sprayed onto which crops and when further spraying needs to be carried out.

"They [farmers] can get a glimpse into their crop field without having to actually take samples, monitor the chemicals they've just sprayed, or send them back to the laboratory," Mr Cornell told the news source.

However, he noted that more research needs to be done in the area before it can be given a practical application, adding that it could be many years before such sensing technology can be used in fields.

In related news, the metal has also been used to help develop a more efficient method of producing hydrogen peroxide, enabling smaller quantities of the substance to be manufactured.

 

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