Overview
- Researchers at UFSCar’s LSNano converted cork into conductive graphene by laser engraving to create an electrochemical sensor for sodium nitrite.
- In laboratory trials, the device detected nitrite in orange juice, mineral water, and wine at concentrations aligned with food and environmental safety thresholds.
- Several experiments used beverages diluted or spiked to simulate nitrite, so the detections should not be read as evidence of widespread commercial contamination.
- The sensor’s active region was protected with a waterproof spray and an enamel boundary, and samples were heated to 40 °C to enhance performance, delivering high sensitivity and stability.
- Backed by FAPESP and detailed in Microchimica Acta, the project targets future applications in quality-control labs and portable inspections following further validation and design refinement.