Indian scientists develop new sensor-connected devices to prevent ammonia gas exposure

Indian scientists develop new sensor-connected devices to prevent ammonia gas exposure. (PIB/IANS Photo)

New Delhi, (IANS): Indian scientists have developed an advanced ammonia sensing platform that detects harmful ammonia at extremely low concentrations while operating at room temperature, an official statement said on Tuesday.

The device was created at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

Ammonia with wide application across sectors can cause severe irritation of the eyes, skin, and respiratory system on exposure, while prolonged exposure may lead to serious health complications.

This device addresses this challenge, through a newly-designed highly sensitive gas sensor based on a hybrid vanadium oxide-vanadium sulfide (VOx/VS2) heterostructure.

The sensor was engineered through a controlled surface transformation process that creates abundant active sites for ammonia adsorption while simultaneously enhancing charge transport within the sensing layer. This synergistic combination significantly improves sensing performance, enabling rapid and highly selective detection of ammonia under ambient conditions.

Flexible and wearable versions of the sensor were successfully fabricated on polymer, paper, and textile substrates.

These lightweight devices maintained sensing capability even under bending, twisting, and folding conditions, demonstrating their suitability for next-generation wearable electronics.

Prototype smart bands, smart-home warning systems, and electronic textile platforms were also developed to showcase potential applications in personal safety monitoring and intelligent environmental sensing.

Ammonia has uses in fertilizer production, refrigeration, chemical manufacturing, and agriculture. The sensor demonstrated detection down to 319 parts per billion, well below occupational safety limits.

It also exhibited excellent selectivity against other common gases, stable operation over repeated sensing cycles, long-term reliability exceeding ten weeks, and effective performance across a broad concentration range.

Unlike many conventional gas sensors that require elevated temperatures or external activation sources, the newly developed device operates efficiently at room temperature, reducing energy consumption and simplifying deployment.

A portable threshold-triggered monitoring system was developed to provide immediate alerts when ammonia concentrations exceed predefined safety levels. The device automatically classifies environmental conditions into safe, warning, and danger zones, allowing rapid interpretation and response without requiring technical expertise.Such sensing devices can be deployed in industrial facilities, storage units, laboratories, and agricultural environments where ammonia leakage poses a significant risk, the statement noted. Indian scientists develop new sensor-connected devices to prevent ammonia gas exposure | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

Read More........→September 21, 2026

Teen Discovers Coconut Fungi Can Filter Plastic and Sunscreen From Sea—And Wins Science Fair

Coconut fungi experiment by Vera Wang wins awards at 2026 Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair – Released by SOEST

An East Honolulu high school student discovered a fungi in coconut husks that could clean up plastics and sunscreen from the ocean—and her won multiple awards at the Hawaiʻi State Science & Engineering Fair.

Vera Wang, a senior at Kaiser High School, won in multiple categories after conducting experiments in Anthony Amend’s lab at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. And she qualified for the International Science & Engineering Fair taking place next May in Arizona.

Her science fair success, including the discovery that the fungi may be a previously-uncharacterized species, all began during her sophomore year.

Ms. Wang designed and built an ocean filter that removed sunscreen and microplastics from the surface water which was inspired by traditional Polynesian weaving while incorporating modern environmental science.

It was not only scientifically effective, but was sustainably made entirely from coconut byproduct waste. Soon, Wang realized that removing the pollutants from water is only part of the problem. The next challenge she considered was how to dispose of them responsibly—and again found success.

“I learned that the pore structure of coconut fiber supports the movement of air and water, which can create a favorable environment for microbes,” Wang said. “That led me to wonder whether coconut husk could do more than physically capture pollutants. So this year, my research at the Amend Lab began exploring the fungal communities living in coconut husks and studying their growth and degradation abilities on sunscreen and plastic media.”

They discovered that fungi found naturally on coconut husks can biodegrade (decompose) sunscreen and plastic, and that a tannin compound can be used to identify sunscreen- and plastic-degrading fungi. The tannins present in the fibers might be encouraging growth of these complex degraders.

Additionally, their genetic testing showed that some of the fungal species did not have a match to anything in the world’s largest reference database of known genes and genomes, indicating that these may be previously uncharacterized species.

Kauai in Hawaii by Karsten Winegear

Among her awards, Wang’s project earned 1st place in the Microbiology category and a scholarship award from the McInerny Foundation.

“I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to pursue my project in the Amend Lab,” said Wang, who worked closely with Kaylee Christensen, a graduate student in the Marine Biology Graduate Program.

“My research would have never, ever, been possible without Anthony and Kaylee. This project has been part of a much longer journey, so having it recognized feels both surreal and deeply rewarding.”

“This work was made possible because of Vera’s vision, and it gives me such optimism about the future of science in Hawaiʻi,” said Amend, who is based in the Pacific Biosciences Research Center at School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST).

Her success is a testament to our public school system which is doing a wonderful job supporting and training our next generation of students. I can’t wait to see what discoveries she makes in college.” Teen Discovers Coconut Fungi Can Filter Plastic and Sunscreen From Sea—And Wins Science Fair

Read More........→September 09, 2026