Lecture
Sensors in Environmental Practice
- 10.04.2024 at 11:00 - 11:30
- ICM Saal 3
- Language: English
- Type: Lecture
Lecture description
Living beings have developed sensors in a broad variety (light, temperature etc.). In the technical area the range of detectable measurands or parameters is significantly enhanced. Sensors can be added to or even replace laboratory analytics. But they also have their own spectrum of applications providing real-time data for monitoring of water bodies, control of water cleaning processes or generate early warnings.
In the aqueous environment parameters like dissolved oxygen, electrolytic conductivity, pH value, ORP play a role. Also carbon related measurands like BOD, COD or TOC and nutrients like ammonium, nitrate, nitrite and phosphate are important. Interesting areas for the future are heavy metals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) etc. which currently are carried out in the laboratory mainly.
The measuring technologies to retrieve this information are electrochemical methods like amperometry, potentiometry or optical methods like photometry, fluorescence and others. Practical progress in handling can be achieved by changing the method, e.g. measuring oxygen by its optical quenching properties instead of electrochemically generating currents. The possibility of using “simple” sensors in contrast to analyzers provides easier access to information. Special evaluation of their data can lead to advantages e.g. when multivariate methods are used to correlate spectral data to water ingredients and in the end even allow nitrate and nitrite to be separated [1].
For commercially used sensors often handling improvements and cost considerations take place. Newly available light emitting diodes (LEDs) for UV are advantageous. Automated analyzers can be seen as complex sensors. They are still used, if simple and direct measuring is not possible like for phosphate. Significant improvements were achieved in reducing the amount of sample and reagents, leading to advantages in handling (low volumes) and the ability to diminish and collect analytical waste [2].
Environmental sensors are used for many tasks. They can be applied in sea water fish farms or in deep-see research, where special demands are relevant. In waste-water treatment plants they allow improved cleaning processes e.g. for removing nitrogen and help to control an additional cleaning stage with an advanced oxidation process (AOP), removing trace contaminants e.g. from pharmaceuticals. In river water monitoring they can be optimized for long term use and the data can be combined with other information e.g. from satellites. This opens a big field for Artificial Intelligence.
Literature:
[1] Spectral Sensors Shine Light on Nitrite Accumulation, Smith, Franke, Honold, Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation 2015
[2] Wet Chemical Analyzer With Minimum Reagent Consumption, Rosenauer, Rauch, Schuhmacher, Franke, Leiprecht, Honold, Poster Singapore Water Week 2020
In the aqueous environment parameters like dissolved oxygen, electrolytic conductivity, pH value, ORP play a role. Also carbon related measurands like BOD, COD or TOC and nutrients like ammonium, nitrate, nitrite and phosphate are important. Interesting areas for the future are heavy metals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) etc. which currently are carried out in the laboratory mainly.
The measuring technologies to retrieve this information are electrochemical methods like amperometry, potentiometry or optical methods like photometry, fluorescence and others. Practical progress in handling can be achieved by changing the method, e.g. measuring oxygen by its optical quenching properties instead of electrochemically generating currents. The possibility of using “simple” sensors in contrast to analyzers provides easier access to information. Special evaluation of their data can lead to advantages e.g. when multivariate methods are used to correlate spectral data to water ingredients and in the end even allow nitrate and nitrite to be separated [1].
For commercially used sensors often handling improvements and cost considerations take place. Newly available light emitting diodes (LEDs) for UV are advantageous. Automated analyzers can be seen as complex sensors. They are still used, if simple and direct measuring is not possible like for phosphate. Significant improvements were achieved in reducing the amount of sample and reagents, leading to advantages in handling (low volumes) and the ability to diminish and collect analytical waste [2].
Environmental sensors are used for many tasks. They can be applied in sea water fish farms or in deep-see research, where special demands are relevant. In waste-water treatment plants they allow improved cleaning processes e.g. for removing nitrogen and help to control an additional cleaning stage with an advanced oxidation process (AOP), removing trace contaminants e.g. from pharmaceuticals. In river water monitoring they can be optimized for long term use and the data can be combined with other information e.g. from satellites. This opens a big field for Artificial Intelligence.
Literature:
[1] Spectral Sensors Shine Light on Nitrite Accumulation, Smith, Franke, Honold, Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation 2015
[2] Wet Chemical Analyzer With Minimum Reagent Consumption, Rosenauer, Rauch, Schuhmacher, Franke, Leiprecht, Honold, Poster Singapore Water Week 2020
All lectures within this session
- 09:30 - 10:00The miniRUEDI is a portable mass spectrometer for efficient on-site quantification of dissolved gases in aquatic systems
- 10:00 - 10:30Real Time Measurement of Microbial Water Quality
- 10:30 - 11:00Immunochemical Sensing of Markers in the Water Cycle
- 11:00 - 11:30Sensors in Environmental Practice