Organophosphorus pesticides sensing using simultaneously Electrolyte Gate Field-Effect Transistors (EGFETs) and SERS

Abstract

The crescent demand for food due to population growth results in the increasing use of pesticides. Organophosphorus (OPs) is a class of pesticides used on a large scale that can cause severe damage to the ecosystem and humans. The intoxication caused by pesticides used to be silently, and there is no effective control and monitoring systems to prevent it. The efficient, portable, and reliable pesticide sensing is a technological issue that requires more research to allows the monitoring of workers, products, and the environment. In this project, we propose to manufacture sensors for organophosphorus pesticides (acephate, chlorpyrifos, and dimethoate) based on Electrolyte Gate Field-Effect Transistors (EGFETs) where the electrical characterization is integrated simultaneously to the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) optical analysis. The main reason to combine electrical and optical measurements is to perform a new detection tool at a molecular level. This approach allows understanding the electrical-optical phenomena related to the interaction of the pesticide molecules with the detecting agents. Furthermore, it will be possible to correlate the optical phenomena at metallic nanoparticles with that occurring in the Electric Double Layers (EDLs) formation. This project also aims to contribute to the scientific knowledge and technological improvements in the area of sensors, is linked to the Thematic Project FAPESP, and considers a period of 12 months in Madrid/Spain. (AU)