Terahertz-Based Heavy Metal Detection in plants - A first approach

The issue of soil pollution and the subsequent contamination of plants with heavy metals has become an increasingly pressing concern for food safety and human health in industrialized nations. This contamination can have detrimental effects on the health of individuals who consume these plants, and as such, it is important to find reliable and efficient ways to study and monitor the exposure of plants to these harmful substances. Until recently, the methods used to study plant exposure to heavy metals have relied on intricate laboratory procedures that often involve the destruction of a portion of the plant. This can make the process time-consuming, expensive, and not necessarily conducive to large-scale monitoring efforts. In this study, we present a novel approach to detect the accumulation of heavy metals in the leaves of Arabidopsis halleri, a plant species known for its ability to tolerate high levels of heavy metals. By utilizing continuous wave Terahertz spectroscopy, we are able to noninvasively monitor the presence of these contaminants in the plant tissue.