Soil Monitoring

Monitoring of soil health for diverse contaminants and nutrients is necessary for ensuring sustainable agricultural production and food security. Microfluidic devices can determine soil composition, nutrient levels, and the presence of pollutants in soil and sediment samples to provide insights into preventing soil erosion, managing contaminated soil, and developing sustainable land use practices.

What We Can Do for You

STEMart uses microfluidics technology to offer a comprehensive soil monitoring services which include but not limit to:

• Heavy Metals Detection

Heavy metals introduced into soil areas can disrupt crucial processes, such as microbial activity and decomposition of organic materials, as well as severely impede vital functions like nitrogen mineralization, nitrification, and soil respiration. Detection of heavy metals in soil can be influenced by the oxidation state of heavy metals changed by the different reducing and oxidizing microbes present in soil. Microfluidic system is capable of oxidizing or reducing all forms of metal to one oxidation state by incorporating stable reducing or oxidizing reagents in sample pretreatment processes. to detect the following heavy metals: As, Nd, Br, Cu, La, Mn, Cr, F, Pb, etc.

• Nutrients Detection

Soil is a vital source of essential nutrients pivotal in supporting overall plant health. Maintaining an optimal concentration of these nutrients ensures optimal plant growth and crop production.

Microfluidic device provides a fast, simple and versatile solution for monitoring soil nutrient including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur, as well as pH, and electrical conductivity.

• Pesticides Detection

Extensive use of pesticides in agriculture poses a grave threat to soil health and leads to harm or even death to soil invertebrates, such as earthworms, ants, beetles, and ground-nesting bees. STEMart is able to provide efficient sample pretreatment and accurate pesticides detection with microfluidic device.

• Microorganisms Detection

Soil microbes including bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa, and archaea are fundamental to the food chain, agriculture, and plant growth. Microorganisms like mycorrhizal fungi, actinobacteria, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, certain archaea, soil-adapted algae, and diverse soil-dwelling animals are pivotal in regulating vital ecosystem processes. They establish symbiotic associations with plants, exhibit decomposition abilities, and facilitate nutrient cycling. Hence, monitoring soil microorganisms is essential for evaluating soil health, nutrient cycling, and the resilience of plants and ecosystems. STEMart can use microfluidic devices to investigate spatial distribution, functions, and biological processes of microorganisms in soil.

For more information about our soil monitoring service, please contact us.