Thermoelectric device for measuring thermal stress in photosynthetic organisms

The University has developed a compact, portable device designed to assess thermal stress and/or stress resulting from exposure to high levels of radiation in the visible and UV bands in organisms.

TRL 7 Device validated in relevant operational environments (Himalayan, Arctic and Antarctic expeditions).

Patent ES2960435

A compact and portable thermoelectric device has been developed, designed to induce precise, pre-programmed temperature curves over a wide range of samples while simultaneously exciting them with high-intensity visible and UV radiation.

Device description and characteristics

The device includes a series of optical fibers that allow both light excitation at various wavelengths and the measurement of fluorescence or luminescence. The invention allows the insertion of the desired samples without the need for additional containers. A set of thermoelectric coolers enables operation between -35 and 90 °C to measure thermal stress at extreme temperatures.

The system is portable and only requires a laptop on which the temperature curves are programmed and an external power source that can be a battery, making it an optimal device for field applications.

In addition to thermal stress measurements obtained from chlorophyll fluorescence readings, other possible applications of this invention include nucleation point determination, metabolic or protein studies and metagenomics in organisms subjected to different temperature ranges, the performance of experiments based on thermochemiluminescent or thermobioluminescent reactions, thermal multi-spectral analysis, fluorescence detection for the evaluation of fluorescent pigments in organic and inorganic substances as well as in chemical or biochemical reactions at controlled temperature.

The Problem

Among the various methods used to measure resistance to thermal stress in plants, chlorophyll fluorescence measurement is one of the most commonly used to determine its influence on photosystem II and, therefore, on photosynthesis. However, the available equipment for inducing thermal stress in plants is bulky and heavy, consumes a significant amount of energy, and provides a narrow temperature range with limited control over the applied temperature curves. Moreover, these devices do not combine the induction of thermal stress with conditions of exposure to high PAR radiation or UV radiation (or both).

To solve the aforementioned problems, researchers from the PLANTMED research group at the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) have developed a compact thermoelectric device that can apply a precise temperature curve and high PAR and UV radiation to a wide set of samples, allowing the measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence and thus the stress produced on multiple samples at the same time.

Potential Advantages

The implementation and use of the presented device can provide the following potential benefits:

Lightweight and portable system that can be used in field applications.
Wider temperature range than that provided by other commercial devices, including a broad range of temperatures and large capacity to over-freeze or over-heat far below or above ambient temperature.
Support for the analysis of multiple samples, allowing faster measurements and easier comparisons of samples under the same studied temperatures.

Collaboration Objectives

The institution is looking for a collaboration that leads to a commercial exploitation of the presented invention. The ideal scenario for the institution would be to reach an agreement to transfer the technology usage by sale or a license (exclusive or non-exclusive) and to collaborate in developing the technology in a pathway towards application. However, the form, terms, and conditions of the collaboration can be openly discussed if the presented technology is of interest.

The research team is looking for companies that design, manufacture and supply instrumentation for environmental research and monitoring, especially equipment designed to work in the field of plant physiology.

However, the form, terms and conditions of the collaboration may be openly discussed if the technology presented is of interest.

In collaboration with: