The Department of Medical Sciences (DMS) announced that they are ready to share the method and formula for the prototype of a kit that detects paraquat, a harmful chemical used as a herbicide, with private or public organizations for commercial use.
DMS director-general Dr. Supakit Sirilak stated that the DMS has collaborated with the Medical Life Sciences Institute and the Bureau of Quality and Safety of Food to develop the testing kit, which uses immunochromatography to detect traces of the toxic chemical in fruit and vegetables. He explained that the equipment works similarly to Covid-19 antigen test kits, highlighting that it could provide results without requiring additional equipment or substances to obtain results within 15-30 minutes.
The director-general affirmed that the testing equipment passed a field study and was patented by the Department of Intellectual Property. He added that the department is ready to provide its information and formula to anyone interested in reproducing the kit for public use.
Paraquat is a hazardous chemical that is widely used as a herbicide due to its effectiveness and cheap cost. However, the chemical is toxic and could cause harm to people if handled incorrectly, and long-term usage of the chemical could result in Parkinson’s disease and cancer. (NNT)
