{"667224":{"#nid":"667224","#data":{"type":"news","title":"GTRI Looks to Use VOC Sensors to Prevent Aflatoxin Contamination in Peanut Plants","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThere\u2019s more to peanuts than meets eye \u2013 or in this case, nostrils. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAll day long, peanut plants emit chemical scents in the form of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can provide insight into potential stressors such as drought and disease that could reduce crop yield and lead to significant losses for farmers and distributors. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOne disease that is particularly worrisome is aflatoxin, a carcinogen generated by the fungus \u003Cem\u003EAspergillus flavus\u003C\/em\u003E. Aflatoxin is harmful to humans because it can contaminate crops in the field, at harvest, and during storage, and is more likely develop in conditions where plant water supply is unpredictable. According to recent estimates, aflatoxin takes as much as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.farmprogress.com\/peanut\/aflatoxin-costs-peanut-industry-millions-annually\u0022\u003E$126 million\u003C\/a\u003E out of the U.S. peanut industry each year due, but current detection methods are costly and inefficient. Researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) and University of Florida (UF) are working to change that.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cThe aflatoxin detection process as a whole, from sample prep to analysis to developing a finalized data report, can be labor intensive, time intensive and expensive,\u201d said Christopher Heist, a GTRI research scientist who is supporting the project. \u201cBeing able to better predict and detect aflatoxin earlier in the peanut production process will be critical to breaking that cycle.\u201d\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EVOCs can be likened to smells or fragrances that are distinct to each peanut plant. However, because the plants emit thousands of these smells, it can be difficult to pinpoint which scents indicate a potential aflatoxin infection. As a result, many farmers treat the entire field for infection, impacting both healthy and infected plants and losing money in the process. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESome farms also outsource detection to third-party laboratories, which collect plant samples and transport them to a lab for an analysis using a technique known as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). HPLC is an analytical chemistry technique used to separate, detect and quantify each component in a sample.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWith \u003Cspan\u003EHPLC, the labs have to get all the chemicals into a liquid state, run the liquid into a column, separate it, and then identify the chemicals using a detector,\u201d explained Daniel Sabo, a GTRI senior research scientist who is leading the project. \u201cFrom start to finish, that process can take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGTRI has developed a collection technique that utilized glass rods called Twisters\u00ae that are coated with gas-absorbent material to capture VOCs so that they can be tested for potential aflatoxin contamination. In recent field tests, GTRI successfully demonstrated the Twisters\u00ae could capture VOCs to be analyzed for the detection of mild to severe drought stress and aflatoxin contamination in peanut plants, as well as aflatoxin contamination in peanut pods and nuts post-harvest. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe research team\u2019s next steps are to standardize its VOC measurement process and develop low-cost sensor platforms that would allow farmers to test for aflatoxin in the field. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWhat we\u2019re trying to do is use the Twisters\u00ae to figure out what those key features or chemicals are that we need to be looking for in peanut plants,\u201d said Sabo. \u201cThen we could use that information to develop specialized sensors that test specifically for those chemicals.\u201d \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGTRI has partnered with the UF\u2019s Agronomy Department to experiment with VOC collection methods in its outdoor field site, environmental chamber and greenhouse on its campus in Gainesville, Florida. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWilliam Hammond, an assistant professor of plant ecophysiology in UF\u2019s Agronomy Department, said UF\u2019s expertise in plant ecophysiology, or the study of how plants interact with their environment, combined with GTRI\u2019s knowledge in collecting and analyzing VOCs, could allow for earlier detection of aflatoxin formation in peanut plants.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWorking towards early warning systems via VOC detection and\/or better understanding the plant-environment interactions, could allow the industry to identify the risk of aflatoxin formation earlier than is presently possible,\u201d Hammond said. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELooking ahead, Heist and Sabo said they expect robots to play a role in conducting targeted, in-the-field testing for farmers, which could further reduce costs and minimize the environmental impact of aflatoxin treatment. GTRI envisions farmers would use robotic systems to geotag locations where aflatoxins are most concentrated and direct the robots to apply fungicide only in those specific areas. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cIt\u0027s hard to put a timeline on when this might happen, but it\u2019s a very interesting area for us and we look forward to working with the many roboticists in our division to solve this challenge,\u201d Heist said. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Anna Akins\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nPhotos: Sean McNeil\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGTRI Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).\u202fFounded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 2,900 employees, supporting eight laboratories in over 20 locations around the country and performing more than $800 million of problem-solving research annually for government and industry.\u202fGTRI\u0027s renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThere\u2019s more to peanuts than meets eye \u2013 or in this case, nostrils. One disease that is particularly worrisome is aflatoxin, a carcinogen generated by the fungus \u003Cem\u003EAspergillus flavus\u003C\/em\u003E. Aflatoxin is harmful to humans because it can contaminate crops in the field, at harvest, and during storage, and is more likely develop in conditions where plant water supply is unpredictable. According to recent estimates, aflatoxin takes as much as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.farmprogress.com\/peanut\/aflatoxin-costs-peanut-industry-millions-annually\u0022\u003E$126 million\u003C\/a\u003E out of the U.S. peanut industry each year due, but current detection methods are costly and inefficient. Researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) and University of Florida (UF) are working to change that. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"GTRI researchers are working to collect and analyze volatile organic compounds (VOC), which could allow for earlier detection of contaminant formation in peanut plants.  "}],"uid":"35832","created_gmt":"2023-04-11 13:51:19","changed_gmt":"2023-06-12 17:53:17","author":"Michelle Gowdy","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-04-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-04-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"670496":{"id":"670496","type":"image","title":"GTRI Team Leading AOC Sensors Project","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe GTRI team that is leading this project includes, from left to right: Senior Research Scientist Daniel Sabo, Senior Research Engineer Judy Song, and Research Scientist Christopher Heist. (Photo Credit: Sean McNeil, GTRI).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1681220360","gmt_created":"2023-04-11 13:39:20","changed":"1681221046","gmt_changed":"2023-04-11 13:50:46","alt":"The GTRI team that is leading this project includes, from left to right: Senior Research Scientist Daniel Sabo, Senior Research Engineer Judy Song, and Research Scientist Christopher Heist. (Photo Credit: Sean McNeil, GTRI).","file":{"fid":"253362","name":"2023_0327_image_FPTD_peanut_research_011.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/11\/2023_0327_image_FPTD_peanut_research_011.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/11\/2023_0327_image_FPTD_peanut_research_011.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":13060117,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/04\/11\/2023_0327_image_FPTD_peanut_research_011.JPG?itok=KQFpjxmN"}},"670497":{"id":"670497","type":"image","title":"GTRI\u0027s Judy Song Loading VOC Samples ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGTRI\u0027s Song loads VOC samples into an instrument that tests for the presence of aflatoxin (Photo Credit: Sean McNeil, GTRI).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1681222084","gmt_created":"2023-04-11 14:08:04","changed":"1681222246","gmt_changed":"2023-04-11 14:10:46","alt":"GTRI\u0027s Song loads VOC samples into an instrument that tests for the presence of aflatoxin (Photo Credit: Sean McNeil, GTRI). ","file":{"fid":"253363","name":"2023_0327_image_FPTD_peanut_research_007.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/11\/2023_0327_image_FPTD_peanut_research_007.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/11\/2023_0327_image_FPTD_peanut_research_007.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":13559630,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/04\/11\/2023_0327_image_FPTD_peanut_research_007.JPG?itok=6d9lXa-H"}}},"media_ids":["670496","670497"],"related_files":{"253362":{"fid":null,"name":"GTRI Team Leading AOC Sensors Project","file_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/11\/2023_0327_image_FPTD_peanut_research_011.JPG","file_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/11\/2023_0327_image_FPTD_peanut_research_011.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":13060117,"description":"\u003Cp\u003EThe GTRI team that is leading this project includes, from left to right: Senior Research Scientist Daniel Sabo, Senior Research Engineer Judy Song, and Research Scientist Christopher Heist. (Photo Credit: Sean McNeil, GTRI).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n"},"253363":{"fid":null,"name":"GTRI\u0027s Judy Song Loading VOC Samples ","file_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/11\/2023_0327_image_FPTD_peanut_research_007.JPG","file_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/11\/2023_0327_image_FPTD_peanut_research_007.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":13559630,"description":"\u003Cp\u003EGTRI\u0027s Song loads VOC samples into an instrument that tests for the presence of aflatoxin (Photo Credit: Sean McNeil, GTRI).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n"}},"groups":[{"id":"1276","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"416","name":"GTRI"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"166902","name":"science and technology"},{"id":"7512","name":"VOC"},{"id":"7656","name":"contamination"},{"id":"181760","name":"peanuts"},{"id":"31201","name":"university of florida"},{"id":"177577","name":"volatile organic compounds"},{"id":"290","name":"Economy"},{"id":"669","name":"agriculture"},{"id":"73091","name":"Farms"},{"id":"2985","name":"plants"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E(Interim) Director of Communications\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMichelle Gowdy\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMichelle.Gowdy@gtri.gatech.edu\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E404-407-8060\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["michelle.gowdy@gtri.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}