UNY Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences students, members of the Student Creativity Program – Exact Research (PKM-RE) Team, have developed an environmentally friendly sensor to detect the heavy metal lead (Pb²⁺) in water. This sensor is based on Cu₂O/TiO₂ Nanotube Arrays (Cu₂O/TNA), synthesized through electrodeposition using a green synthesis approach.

Uniquely, the team utilized banana peel waste extract as a source of natural polyphenols to aid the formation of Cu₂O particles. Polyphenols act as reducing agents, shape regulators, and stabilizers for the nanoparticles, replacing synthetic chemicals such as PVP or trisodium citrate.

This innovative sensor can detect Pb²⁺ directly without additional reagents, making it simpler, faster, and environmentally friendly. The team consists of Bonita Arum Ningtyas (Physics, 2022), Devita Amalia Z. (Physics, 2022), Martin Imanuel P. (Physics, 2024), Kunnasywa Sani (Chemistry, 2022), and Melda Novita R. (Chemistry, 2023), with supervisor Ms. Riza Ariyani Nur Khasanah, S.Pd., M.Sc., Ph.D. from the Department of Physics Education, UNY.

You can follow the progress of the research through their Instagram account: @pkmre_bananolytic