Cleaning Up Our Food: A New Way to Detect Harmful Chemicals

Scientists have created a new material that can help detect harmful chemicals in our food. This material is a type of polymer, a large molecule composed of many smaller molecules.

Key Features of the Polymer

• Porous Structure: Contains tiny holes that can trap and hold onto other molecules.
• Target: Specifically designed to trap phenylurea herbicides, chemicals used in farming that can be harmful if consumed in excess.
• Special Molecule: Made using octaphenyl POSS, a cage-like molecule that enhances its trapping efficiency.
• Cross-Linked: Molecules are connected in a network, making the polymer strong and stable.

Testing and Results

The polymer was tested on water and vegetable samples, including cabbage and white radish.

• Sensitivity: Detected herbicides at levels as low as 0.02 nanograms per milliliter in water.
• Range of Detection: Effective from 0.06 to 100.0 nanograms per milliliter in water and 2.10 to 200.0 nanograms per gram in vegetables.
• Accuracy: Achieved a determination coefficient of more than 0.9912, ensuring reliable results.
• Recovery Rate: Recovered between 80.0% and 116% of herbicides, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 3.6% to 8.9%.

Conclusion

This porous, cross-linked polymer is highly effective, sensitive, accurate, and reliable, making it a valuable tool for ensuring the safety of our food.