Environmental Impact of Phenolic Compounds: Advanced Detection using Active Inertial Electromagnetic Sensor

Phenolic compounds are an important class of organic pollutants that are of considerable environmental concern. Compounds such as phenol and its derivatives are widespread pollutants in industrial effluents, mainly from oil-producing facilities, oil refineries, and agro-industrial processes, e.g., the extraction of olive oil. Furthermore, phenolic compounds are widely found in various food products and play an important role in some antioxidant properties and potential toxic effects related to their concentration and origin. Given their high toxicity, persistence, and potential for bioaccumulation, phenolic compounds have serious impacts on aquatic ecosystems, human health, and food safety. Thus, the rapid, sensitive, and low-background detection of them, with minimal preparation of the samples, would be highly beneficial for environmental monitoring, pollution management, and food quality testing. Here, we present the application of an Active Inertial Electromagnetic Sensor for the investigation of select phenolic compounds. This novel sensing technology provides real-time monitoring, high sensitivity, and the potential for on-site detection, creating opportunities to eliminate the need for time-consuming laboratory tests.