Numerous studies, carried out for many years in almost all parts of the world, show that the application of agrochemicals in agriculture entails risks for the ecosystem.
Environmental monitoring
It should be noted that the Latin American economy is largely based on agricultural production, which brings with it a significant environmental impact due to the use of pesticides. It is for this reason that the need arises to use equipment to monitor the concentration of pesticides in the environment.
With the aforementioned situation as a reference, the Ar-Puf, the first airborne agrochemical detector manufactured in the United States, was created. Argentina. Its creator is chemical engineer Manuel Hadad, a doctoral fellow of the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET) at the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) in Paraná and creator of ARsense, an Argentine technology company that develops equipment for monitoring environmental pollutants.
The Ar-Puf: main characteristics
The Ar-Puf measures about 1.60 meters and weighs about 30 kilos. It is made of stainless steel and other materials of higher quality compared to equipment manufactured abroad. Its motor lasts longer and its technology is more robust. It can detect up to 25 different pesticides; it is based on the requirements of the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), which is valid internationally. In addition, because it is locally manufactured, its cost is significantly lower than that of international equipment, because import duties and expenses are eliminated.
Hadad has pointed out in several interviews granted to the Argentine media that the equipment operates with an aspiration system and a specific filter system that captures the pesticides in the air, which are then taken to the laboratory, where they are quantified.
It is worth noting that the Ar-Puf is designed to be used both in times of application and when no agrochemicals are applied, allowing the permanence of these compounds to be monitored over a certain period of time.
Promoting local talent
Engineer Hadad says that there is a lot of human potential in technology in the province of Entre Ríos, so his goal is to expand his company Arsense and provide job opportunities for local engineers, while contributing to the preservation of the environment.
