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RADICAL's sensor for atmospheric radicals and air quality monitoring

What if monitoring air quality could be smarter, faster, and more accessible?

We are proud to present our final video to you about our breakthrough sensor for atmospheric radicals and air quality monitoring.

In this video, you’ll learn how this innovative sensor uses nanotechnology and machine learning to detect critical atmospheric radicals like hydroxyl (OH), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and ammonia (NH₃) at concentrations once thought impossible to measure outside of specialised labs.

Read more: How do air sensors work?

See how the sensor is calibrated in the Irish Atmospheric Simulation Chamber and tested in real-world urban settings, showcasing its potential for revolutionising air quality networks worldwide.

Get a glimpse into its potential real-world applications—whether in hospitals, industrial settings, or remote environments—and explore how it can empower scientists, industries, and policymakers with real-time, cost-effective insights into air quality and atmospheric health.

Take a deep dive into our innovative technology that’s set to redefine how we monitor the atmosphere.

More videos you may like: What’s exciting about RADICAL? with Prof. Justin Holmes, UCC | RADICAL Collaborates with Luper Technologies


Transcript:

0:00
Across the world, vast quantities of pollutants are constantly released into the air from both human activities and natural sources.


0:10
These pollutants include gases like nitrogen dioxide from combustion engines, ammonia and methane from agricultural activities, and volatile organic compounds emitted by plants and fossil fuel use.


0:25
Luckily, the atmosphere has a natural ability to cleanse itself.


0:29
This is largely thanks to two key radical species, hydroxyl and nitrate.


0:36
These radicals, though they make up only one in every trillion air molecules, are incredibly powerful

0:43
Despite their extremely low concentrations radicals drive essential chemical processes that determine the quality of the air we breathe.


0:53
For example, hydroxyl radicals, known as the detergent of the atmosphere, breakdown pollutions transforming them into water soluble products that rain can wash away.


1:05
However, measuring these radicals is a huge challenge.


1:09
The current methods are very expensive, highly specialised and limited to only a few labs globally.


1:15
This lack of widespread monitoring hinders our ability to fully understand the impact that radicals have on air quality and climate.


1:25
A breakthrough is needed, and that’s where the RADICAL Project steps in.


1:31
The RADICAL Project is pioneering a new solution to detect atmospheric radicals and other hard-to-detect gases.


1:38
The sensor operates on the principle of an E-nose, much like the human nose detects smells.


1:45
Gases interact with the sensor’s electrical system, creating signals that can be decoded, similar to how our brain identifies odours.

1:53
Our cutting edge sensor is based on a gas surface interaction.


1:57
The sensor uses arrays of silicon nanowires coated with molecules that are tuned to specifically react with radicals and other gases.


2:06
When gas molecules hit the nanowire surface, they trigger reactions that can change the voltage across the transistor.


2:13
This voltage shift gives a measure of the gas concentration in the air.


2:18
Detecting radicals like hydroxyl is particularly difficult because of their extremely low concentrations.


2:24
To tackle this, we are using multiple nanowire transistors, each coated with different molecules.


2:31
This increases the selectivity, allowing us to distinguish between different gases.


2:37
To further improve accuracy, we are integrating machine learning techniques.


2:42
This enables the sensor to learn and identify patterns, providing precise measurements even in complex atmospheric conditions.


2:50
Beyond radical detection, our sensor is also a breakthrough in detecting other trace gases.


2:58
The sensor platform has already been successfully functionalised with different organic layers to detect nitrogen dioxide, ozone and ammonia.


3:09
What sets this sensor apart is its ability to detect gases at incredibly low concentrations, down to one part per billion, while delivering real time quantifiable data that was previously only possible with expensive lab equipment.


3:26
The RADICAL sensor is tested and calibrated in the state-of-the-art Irish Atmospheric Simulation Chamber at University College Cork under a wide range of atmospheric conditions, including real world urban environments.


3:40
Versatile and portable, the RADICAL sensor can be deployed in diverse environments from hospitals to industrial sites and even remote dangerous locations, making it a powerful tool for both air quality monitoring and research.


3:55
With RADICAL, we envision a network of sensors providing real time global air quality data.


4:01
This broad coverage will enable us to monitor gas and radical concentrations more effectively and at a fraction of the cost.


4:08
With the RADICAL sensor, air quality monitoring becomes smarter, faster and more accessible.


4:15
It’s a vital step towards a cleaner, healthier world for everyone.


4:19
To find out more, visit our website at radical-air.eu.

Follow our progress with RADICAL