Airborne chemicals can now be instantly identified Scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a device that can identify a wide range of airborne gases and chemicals instantly.
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laboratory technique called gas chromatography– mass spectrometry (GC-MS), which is reliable but requires tedious sample collection and takes between a few hours and a few days to obtain results.
escribed in the journal ACS Nano,
By contrast, the new device utilises Raman
the prototype device is portable and suitable for
spectroscopy — a long-established technique for
rapid deployment by agencies to identify airborne
identifying chemical substances. Typically, this has
hazards, such as from tiny gas molecules like sulfur
been used only on solid and liquid samples, since
dioxide. It can also identify larger compound
gaseous chemicals are too diluted for the laser and
molecules such as benzene, known to be harmful
detector to pick up.
to human health. It could thus provide real-time
To overcome this limitation, Associate
monitoring of air quality such as during haze
Professor Ling Xing Yi and PhD student
outbreaks, and assist in the detection of gas leaks
Phan Quang Gia Chuong developed a special
and industrial air pollution.
nanostructure patch made from a highly
Emergency scenarios require a fast and ongoing
porous synthetic material known as a metal-
analysis of potential air contamination, such as
organic framework, which actively absorbs and
following a natural disaster, chemical spill or
traps molecules from the air into a ‘cage’. The
illegal dumping of toxic waste, so that emergency
nanostructure also contains metal nanoparticles,
responders can take appropriate action. Current
which boost the intensity of the light surrounding
methods of identifying gases in the air use a
the molecules.
26 | LAB+LIFE SCIENTIST - Dec 2019/Jan 2020
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