Iranian Researchers Make Advanced Kits to Detect Nitrate, Nitrite Contamination

Mojtaba Khayam Nekoui, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture Jihad and Head of Agricultural Research and Education Organization, in a ceremony unveiled two Iran-made advanced nanokits that can detect nitrate and nitrite pollutions in agricultural products.

"One of the main missions of my organization's research institutes this year has been setting up forty "innovation model farms" across the country. The main mission of these farms will be promoting knowledge and technology on the ground," Khayam Nekoui underlined.

In the meantime, Forouq Qassemi, the scientific faculty member of the Nanotechnology Research Department of the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute said, "Nitrite, which reacts with amino acids into toxic and carcinogenic nitrosamine compounds, despite being useful at low levels in high concentrations, has very adverse effects on the environment, human health and other living organisms. Nitrite is known as the cause of methemoglobinemia in children. Receiving high concentration of nitrite and nitrate during pregnancy would increase risk of organ defects in babies."

Qassemi further warned about high concentration of nitrite and nitrate in livestock's body that will result in abortion, decrease in milk production and  their death, so, it is very important to monitor the health of agricultural and food products.

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