Fibre optic sensor to detect heavy metal pollutants in water environments.

Bhavsar, Kaushalkumar; Hurston, Emma; Joseph, Ginson P.; Prabhu, Radhakrishna

Abstract

Heavy metal ion pollution emerges as a potential threat to humankind and the ecosystem due to their increased spreading into the environment. Detection of highly toxic heavy metal ions requires rapid, simple, sensitive and selective detection methods in water environments. Optical fibre sensors facilitate the remote, continuous and in-situ detection due to their inherent properties. Herein, we report a fibre optic sensor based on evanescent wave absorption to detect heavy metal ions in water environments. Fibre optic sensor has been developed by coating dithizone on the surface of an optical fibre. Selectivity of the mercury, copper and chromium ions using dithizone has been illustrated using spectroscopy based detection approach. Effect of pH on the sensor has been investigated. The possibility of simultaneous multi-ion detection has been investigated. Copper ions concentrations in water has been detected using the developed fibre optic sensor.

Citation

BHAVSAR, K., HURSTON, E., PRABHU, R. and JOSEPH, G.P. 2017. Fibre optic sensor to detect heavy metal pollutants in water environments. In Proceedings of OCEANS 2017, 19-22 June 2017, Aberdeen, UK. New York: IEEE [online], article number 8084982, pages 2441-2444. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1109/OCEANSE.2017.8084982

• Conference Name: OCEANS 2017 (Aberdeen)
• Conference Location: Aberdeen, UK
• Start Date: Jun 19, 2017
• End Date: Jun 22, 2017
• Acceptance Date: Jun 19, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Jun 19, 2017
• Publication Date: Oct 26, 2017
• Deposit Date: Mar 16, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 16, 2018
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• Article Number: 8084982
• Pages: 2441-2444
• ISBN: 9781538621110
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/OCEANSE.2017.8084982
• Keywords: Heavy metal ions; Evanescent wave; Dithizone; Spectroscopy; Environmental sensors
• Public URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10059/2809