Description: Dr. Connick and his students at the University of Cincinnati have developed a solid state anion sensor for the rapid on-site detection of water
contaminants.
This portable solid state anion sensor illuminates in the presence of anions, detecting a little as 0.1 ppb. The sensor’s innovative material possesses exceptional chemical selectivity to incredibly difficult to detect anions, such as perchlorate. More specifically, the technology has been utilized to sense the presence of perchlorate within a wide range of solutions, including, river and lake water, milk, and other aqueous solutions, which contain phosphate, sulfate, nitrate, carbonate, chloride, bromide, iodide, and fluoride. Limited interference allows for unambiguous detection of aqueous perchlorate at 0.1 ppb even in the presence of other anions at >106 ppb.
The proposed technology offers several benefits. The sensor material is inexpensive, and the technology provides rapid on-site detection without cumbersome electronics or additional lab analysis. Easily incorporating into existing rapid-screening sensor devices, the technology can be used to complement devices that make use of conventional analytical technologies, such as quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) methods, visible absorption and luminescence spectroscopy, photodiodes, and/or light-emitting devices (LEDs). Moreover, because the sensor provides a colorimetric response, the technology could be utilized in a manner similar to pH paper test strips, which change color in response to varying levels of pH.
As compared to other similar technologies our sensor has the following advantages:
- Rapid On-site Detection
- High Selectivity
- Lightweight and Inexpensive Materials
There is a pending patent application.
An additional summary of the technology can be found here: Rapid Perchlorate Sensor
For more information please contact Ellen Banks at 513-558-4768 or geoffrey.pinski@uc.edu
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