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This study presents the experimental testing of a gas-sensing array, for the detection of two commercially available pesticides (i.e., Chloract 48 EC and Nimrod), towards its eventual use along a commercial smart-farming system. The array is comprised of four distinctive sensing devices based on nanoparticles, each functionalized with a different gas-absorbing polymeric layer. As discussed herein, the sensing array is able to identify as well as quantify three gas-analytes, two pesticide solutions, and relative humidity, which acts as a reference analyte. All of the evaluation experiments were conducted in close to real-life conditions; specifically, the sensors response towards the three analytes was tested in three relative humidity backgrounds while the effect of temperature was also considered. The unique response patterns generated after the exposure of the sensing-array to the two gas-analytes were analyzed using the common statistical analysis tool Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The sensing array, being compact, low-cost, and highly sensitive, can be easily integrated with pre-existing crop-monitoring solutions. Given that there are limited reports for effective pesticide gas-sensing solutions, the proposed gas-sensing technology would significantly upgrade the added-value of the integrated system, providing it with unique advantages.

A novel impedimetric biosensor was developed for the detection of the two extensively used pesticides, acetamiprid and atrazine. By employing the sputtering and e-beam lithography techniques, platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) were deposited in a bridge-like arrangement, in between interdigitated electrodes (IDEs). The resulting Pt NP microwires were chemically functionalized to allow the covalent immobilization of aptamers against the two target analytes onto the sensor surfaces. The biosensing platform facilitated charge transfer through the microwire-bridged IDEs, while upon analyte binding to the immobilized aptamers electron transfer was hindered, resulting in an increase of the electrochemical cell's impedance. The combination of Pt NPs microwires and aptamers allowed the sensitive and highly selective detection of acetamiprid with a linear range of response in the range of 10pM to 100nM with a limit of detection (LoD) at 1pM, and of atrazine with a linear range of responses from 100pM to 1μM and a LoD at 10pM respectively. Its performance was tested against a number of other commonly used pesticides as well as in real water samples., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)