SELECTRIA

Año: 2019
Sector estratégico: Movilidad eléctrica y conectada
Líder del proyecto: Fundación I+D Automoción y Mecatrónica (NAITEC)
Socios del proyecto: Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA)

Aligned with the concept of industry 4.0, based on gathering and using data automatically to improve processes, the SELECTRIA project intends to use electrochemical sensors in sectors where they are not yet used or they could be improved, like in the food industry and for environmental safety. To those ends, NAITEC and the UPNA set several goals. ─ Optimise the method of measuring sulphites, which are frequently used preservatives that can cause adverse effects in sensitive people ─ Fabricate a prototype of a simple measurement kit ─ Use sensors for analysing polluting gasses

In the first case, a fast method for analysing sulphites in wine has been optimised and it has been compared with other reference and commercial techniques that require more analysis time or have a higher cost. Furthermore, how other components in wine may affect the measurement has been evaluated. This sulphite measurement method could be applied for other matrices.

On the other hand, a demonstrator has been fabricated of what would be a portable kit for fast in situ analysis of substances of interest. In this case, the example was monitoring a lactic acid in choucroute, where a good correlation of the kit results with commercial methods had already been shown. The demo may help food industry users appreciate the simplicity of electrochemical methods.

Lastly, the possibility of using printed sensors for detecting gasses was explored. Specifically, nitrogen dioxide was chosen as a target. It is a polluting gas that comes from industry and transport whose concentration is monitored to evaluate air quality. A sensor material was deposited on graphene and tin oxide particles on interdigitated silver sensors for that purpose. The results were very promising, even though more characterisation tests are needed.