HYDERABAD: A flower may leave behind more than a pretty bloom. Researchers at Osmania University have found a way to turn pollen into a tiny security marker that could help distinguish the genuine from the fake.
Researchers have developed PollenSignum, a nano-optical authentication system that combines the microscopic characteristics of pollen grains with the optical properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) quantum dots. The technology could be used to authenticate currency, security documents, pharmaceutical packaging, jewellery and other high-value products.
The system was developed by Dr A Vijaya Bhasker Reddy, D Nirmala and B Vijay Kumar of Osmania University. An Indian patent application, No. 202641112522, titled PollenSignum: A Combinatorial Pollen-Based Nano-Optical Authentication System with Spatially Encoded Biological Signatures, was filed on September 19 and published by the Indian Patent Office on Saturday.
Pollen provides one layer of the security system, with its size, shape and surface morphology acting as a biological signature. The ZnO quantum dots provide a second layer through their optical or fluorescent properties. Together, the two signatures allow an article to be authenticated through optical as well as microscopic examination, according to the researchers.
Talking to TNIE, Dr A Vijaya Bhasker Reddy, Associate Professor, Department of Botany, OU, said every plant has its own biological signature. The shape and size of pollen varies from plant to plant and can also show geographical variations, he said.
For the initial study, the researchers used 12 distinguishable pollen types to create a reference library. Different pollen types can be combined to generate unique authentication codes. The patent application states that the 12 pollen types provide 4,096 non-empty combinations, while the number of possible codes can increase with the addition of more pollen types, nano-optical signatures and spatial positioning.
The pollen grains are functionalised with ZnO quantum dots and can be enclosed in a small sealed micro-container. The marker can also be incorporated into polymer-based security threads or embedded in products. The concept has been experimentally tested, but further validation, standardisation and scale-up will be required before it can be commercially deployed.