We would be interested in joining the consortium (Topic C: Research and development of innovative methods and sensing technologies) as a partner. Our main area of expertise is Analytical Electrochemistry. Much of this work involves the development of selective sensing platforms using modified screen-printed carbon electrodes. Nanomaterials of metals such as gold, platinum, graphitic carbon nitride and graphene oxide have been developed for the detection of trace levels of heavy metals such as cadmium, lead and zinc in soils. Recently we have also developed a novel voltammetric detection method for manganese and semi-automated robotic platforms for colourimetric detection of potassium and phosphorus. Our focus within this group is to expand the development of rapid, portable, in-situ detection of a large range of nutrients which would allow a more comprehensive field-based lab on a chip monitoring method for environmental and soil samples.

ATU is a multi-campus technological university in the west and northwest of Ireland that delivers a rich combination of academic and research excellence. Regarding our research interests, we have a small group within a dedicated chemical sensor research laboratories at the Atlantic Technical University, Donegal (ATU Donegal). We have a capability to perform a large range of chemical analyses using modern analytical techniques such as FTIR, Fluorescence and UV-vis spectroscopy, Flame AA and graphite furnace AA spectroscopy, LC-MS and GC-MS. Scientific researchers at ATU are presently collaborating with many organisations, including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Queens University Belfast, University of Limerick, Teagasc and the Bioenergy hub Manchester.