Advanced Nano-Resonators for High-Resolution Monitoring of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Lakes and Wetlands

The goal is to develop an innovative dual CH4/CO2 sensor for real-time, in-situ quantification of dissolved gas in freshwater systems. The sensor will be based on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) functionalized by a type of porous material known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Specifically, we will develop a sensor array using multiple MOFs with different affinity towards dissolved gases. This will allow us to use statistical data processing to differentiate between CH4/CO2 and ultimately quantify their mixtures.

Background
Lakes and wetlands are important sources of CH4 and CO2 emissions, but the magnitude and underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. This is largely due to the lack of sensor technology that can measure fluxes with high spatiotemporal resolution. Such a technology will provide important insights into the dynamics of greenhouse gas emissions, and help us understand global carbon cycles, and enable effective mitigation strategies.

Project period: 2025-04-01 to 2028-03-31

Funded by: The project is funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark.  Budget 3.165.765 DKK.

Research Lead: Jonas Folke Sundberg, Associate professor of applied materials at DTU Engineering Technology