Detecting Nutrients in Agricultural Samples

Accurately monitoring the nutritional status and specific nutrient components (e.g., amino acids, lipids) in feed, water, and biological samples from, e.g., milk, menure, or plants, is important for efficient animal farming and plant cultivation.

Quantum NMR utilizing Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centres in diamond provides atomic-sized sensors that detect nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals with unprecedented sensitivity, down to a single proton. Such a technology could help in identifying magnetic signatures of molecules in biological samples to detect the contained nutrients.

This could allow for the development of highly accurate devices to monitor essential nutrients, supporting optimal health and growth in farmed animals and plants.