Funding scheme: SME- phase 1 & phase 2
Duration: 2017 – 2019
Proposal number: 766742
Activity: SMEInst-07-2016-2017
Abstract: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are organic compounds produced by human action resistant to environmental degradation and whose bioaccumulative capacity and toxicity can cause harmful health effects e.g. cancer. Hence, they have become global threats for humans and the environment. The most extended analytic methods used nowadays for detecting POPs are gas chromatography and/or mass spectroscopy to
separate and identify them. These methods are expensive – €1,000/sample-, time-consuming -24h-, require laborious sample preparation and a well-equipped laboratory. Consequently, there is a great demand to increase the number of water and food quality tests if available for a lower price and shorter time.
The main goal of the NanoScreen project was to bring to the market nanotechnology based on plasmonic technology dedicated to a rapid, selective and sensitive in-situ monitoring of trace quantities of selected (PickMol technology).
The related business opportunity was based on the potential of PickMol technology to be used as a rapid screening method with the target applications in a wide range of laboratories (environment, food industry, pharmaceutical industry, medicine). This will be achieved by the following competitive advantages: i) low cost, ii) simplicity of preparation, iii) in-situ application, and iv) quick analysis.
The EU/world dimension of the NanoScreen project was demonstrated by its ambition to contribute to the solution of important and challenging goals of the Stockholm Convention, – to generate rapid, selective, sensitive and in-situ technology for global POPs monitoring.
Result: SAFTRA photonics brings to the market PickMolTM nanotechnology for screening purposes. This technology detects if water or any food matrix is contaminated with POPs/pesticides/drugs. We offer a rapid method (10 minutes) to detect presence of the most POPs/pesticides/drugs in water/milk/beverages, carrying out an in-situ analysis for less than 40€ per sample and with the same sensitivity (ppb level) as reached by certified methods (i.e. GC-MS). The patented PickMolTM technology was validated by certified laboratory, (RECETOX, Czech republic) and can be tailored for various groups of organic molecules, which means its large potential for application also in other fields like pharmaceutical & chemical industry, security and sport (doping control).
