The Sumy National Agrarian University got an XRF Thermo Scientific XL2 heavy metal evaluation device from the Royal Agricultural University.
The Royal Agricultural University (Great Britain) and Sumy National Agrarian University (Ukraine) are carrying out a joint project called “Assessment of the lands and ecosystems of the North-East of Ukraine damaged by the Russian invasion”.
The project started in March 2023 and is still ongoing. It aims to develop guidelines for soil sampling and damage assessment through soil analysis for heavy metals.
Scientists from the two universities have met for several times to discuss the main aspects of further scientific and educational cooperation under this project. For example, in May O. MELNYK presented the results of work and prospects for further cooperation between universities in Switzerland: https://snau.edu.ua/sumskij-nau-prezentuvali-na-lugano-biznes-forum-v-shvejcari%d1% 97 .
Colleagues from ETH Zurich (Zurich) and BFH (Bern) are also involved in the implementation.
In order to achieve this goal, within the framework of the project, the Royal Agricultural University transferred the Thermo Scientific XL2 XRF device to Sumy NAU. This mobile device helps estimate the content of heavy metals both under the field and the laboratory conditions. Its use is aimed at providing accurate data for the analysis of soil samples and determining the consequences of the heavy metals negative impact on the agriculture of Ukraine.
This issue is extremely important, as our country is one of the largest exporters of grain in the world. Heavy metal contamination of agricultural crops can lead to a global food crisis. The XRF Thermo Scientific XL2 was the first step to determine the contamination of our soils.
We express our sincere gratitude to our partners from the Royal Agricultural University for their tireless help and support! We are confident that together we will be able to achieve results in the matter of the fastest possible remediation of the lands of Ukraine.
We will remind you that RAU recently handed over to the scientists of our university a device that allows determining the content of dry matter and starch in potatoes. It is already used by students of the Faculty of Agrotechnologies and Natural Resource Management to write their master’s theses. Read more at the link: https://snau.edu.ua/rau-peredav-naukovcyam-snau-vazhlivij-dlya-provedennya-doslidzhen-prilad/.
