Miniature spectrometer detects food safety in minutes

The cell phone-sized spectrometer requires only a few minutes to analyze the ingredients and contents of the milk powder. In the event of a disaster, it can also quickly detect the vital signs of the human body and speed up the rescue process. At the Chongqing Science and Technology Awards Conference held on July 10th, the “Study on the Key Technologies of the Series Miniature Spectrometers” declared by the Chongqing University Microsystems Research Center won the first prize for 2011 technological inventions.

According to reports, spectrometers can qualitatively and quantitatively detect the major components of various substances and are widely used in air pollution, water pollution, food hygiene, and metal industries. However, the existing spectrometers are quite bulky and expensive, and the instruments have high requirements for the use environment. It is difficult to detect various substances in time.

"The great advantage of the micro-spectrometer is that it is 'micro', so it is very convenient to carry around." Wen Zhiyu, director of the Chongqing University Microsystem Research Center, said that the team has spent 16 years researching micro-spectrometers. However, this is not just about making small spectrometers "small." Even more importantly, after a series of technological breakthroughs, it can be used as a core component in other instruments, like a computer's CPU, for secondary development. Different types of equipment can be made to detect substances. For example, by installing a miniature spectrometer into an environmental detection device, it can accurately perform water quality inspections; when a natural disaster such as an earthquake occurs, a miniature biochemical rapid detector can be made using a miniature spectrometer to detect the life of seven individuals at one time. Physical indicators help doctors to judge the physical condition of victims and help them to save more effectively.

In addition, the detection speed of the micro-spectrometer is also very fast. Wen Zhiyu told reporters that putting the substances to be tested into the device can take only a few minutes to test the results. “Now people are very concerned about food safety. If there are such miniature spectrometers in supermarkets, everyone can quickly detect on the spot whether they are buying foods that are safe.”

Wen Zhiyi also mentioned that this miniature spectrometer will be less expensive than a traditional large spectrometer. "Now, the equipment used by many testing organizations depends on imports. There are probably several tens of thousands of large-scale spectrometers. However, this localized miniature spectrometer will cost less than one-fifth of its price after listing," he said. The spread of spectrometers provides very favorable conditions.

It is reported that Wen Zhihao and his team have been at the forefront of research on miniature spectrometers. They will further optimize the research results and prepare to cooperate with some manufacturers to make this achievement industrialized as soon as possible.