Project description
On-site diagnostic tool to keep water safe from cadmium
Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the NanoSense project aims to introduce a sustainable analytical platform that quickly detects cadmium ions in aqueous matrices. By integrating plasmonic nanoparticles with topochemically functionalised cellulose nanocrystals, it will develop an ultra-compact localised surface plasmon resonance sensor. This bio-based architecture leverages biomimetic functionalisation to achieve high selectivity and a sensitivity threshold below 5 ppb, aligning with EU regulation on bio-persistent contaminants. The functionalised nanocellulose serves as a green stabiliser, improving optical scattering within an inexpensive fibre-optic device designed for on-site diagnostics. The project will facilitate bidirectional knowledge transfer while advancing portable, eco-friendly chelation and sensing technologies.
Objective
NanoSense will combine plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs), used as optical sensing elements, with properly functionalized nanocelluloses, used as biobased NPs stabilizers, to achieve a new safe, green, ultracompact, and rapid optical plasmonic sensor for cadmium ions with high selectivity and < 5 ppb sensitivity. The use of green materials as stabilizers for light scattering in LSPR sensors remains to be explored to enhance the plasmonic phenomenon and validate their configuration in sensing and biosensing applications. NanoSense will explore renewable and sustainable cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and their topochemical functionalization with biological molecules toward selective and sensitive cadmium sensing as NPs stabilizers in an LSPR sensor. NanoSense’s functionalized nanocellulose will be designed, taking inspiration from nature’s biomolecules, to develop a fast, responsive, and selective cadmium sensor for aqueous matrices. The new biosensing material will be used to modify an inexpensive optical fiber to obtain a cheap portable device to be used on-site for fast diagnosis and Cd+2 chelation stabilization. The project considers cadmium to be a bio-persistent element that accumulates in soils and may contaminate food and drinks, and therefore must be controlled according to EU Regulation 2021/1323. The impactful research of NanoSense will be developed at the University of Pisa, in a renowned group for their studies on nanocellulose's functionalizations and applications. Besides the two-way knowledge transfer between the fellow and the host institution, the peculiarity of the MSCA-PF program, the project devises a clear communication, dissemination, and exploitation plan, and activities are included in an effective career development plan for the researcher, taking advantage of the support offered by the host institution and by the supervisor. The fellow's outreach activities for communicating with the general public are foreseen from the project's start.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
56126 Pisa
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.