SpectroGLY: A Low-Cost IoT-Based Ecosystem for the Detection of Glyphosate Residues in Waters

Abstract

Glyphosate contamination in waters is becoming a major health problem that needs to be urgently addressed, as accidental spraying, drift or leakage of this highly water-soluble herbicide can impact aquatic ecosystems. Researchers are increasingly concerned about exposure to glyphosate and the risks its poses to human health, since it may cause substantial damage, even in small doses. The detection of glyphosate residues in waters is not a simple task, as it requires complex and expensive equipment and qualified personnel. New technological tools need to be designed and developed, based on proven, but also cost-efficient, agile and user-friendly, analytical techniques, which can be used in the field and in the lab, enabled by connectivity and multi-platform software applications. This paper presents the design, development and testing of an innovative low-cost VIS-NIR (Visible and Near-Infrared) spectrometer (called SpectroGLY), based on IoT (Internet of Things) technologies, which allows potential glyphosate contamination in waters to be detected. SpectroGLY combines the functional concept of a traditional lab spectrometer with the IoT technological concept, enabling the integration of several connectivity options for rural and urban settings and digital visualization and monitoring platforms (Mobile App and Dashboard Web). Thanks to its portability, it can be used in any context and provides results in 10 minutes. Additionally, it is unnecessary to transfer the sample to a laboratory (optimizing time, costs and the capacity for corrective actions by the authorities). In short, this paper proposes an innovative, low-cost, agile and highly promising solution to avoid potential intoxications that may occur due to ingestion of water contaminated by this herbicide.