Abstract
A novel compact laser absorption spectrometer is developed for colorimetric detection. We demonstrate the realization of the system as well as example measurements of phosphate in water samples based on the malachite green (MG) method. A phosphate concentration range of to (which corresponds to a molar concentration range of to ) is investigated. This photometer demonstrates the ease of integration of organic distributed feedback (DFB) lasers and their miniaturizability, leading the way toward optofluidic on-chip absorption spectrometers. We constructed an optically pumped organic second-order DFB laser on a transparent substrate, including a transparent encapsulation layer, to have access to both emission directions of the surface-emitting laser. Using the two different surface emission directions of the laser resonator allows monitoring of the emitted light intensity without using additional optical elements. Based on these advances, it is possible to miniaturize the measurement setup of a laser absorption spectrometer and to measure analytes, such as phosphate.
Highlights
Phosphate is one of the most common plant and animal nutrients
We demonstrate a novel spectrometric phosphate detection unit based on organic distributed feedback (DFB) lasers using the malachite green (MG) method
Every sample was measured in the laser absorption spectrometer and, for comparison, was measured using a commercial UV-VIS spectrometer
Summary
Phosphate is one of the most common plant and animal nutrients. Phosphate is ubiquitous in the environment and is subject to a natural cycle, the balance of which has a strong impact on animal and plant life [1]. Excess phosphate mainly contributes to the eutrophication of surface waters, such as lakes, rivers, reservoirs or streams [2,3]. Eutrophication is the excessive enrichment of water bodies with mineral nutrients and leads to the explosive growth of autotrophic organisms, such as algae and cyanobacteria [1], which causes mass mortality and reduced biodiversity in these environments due to the high oxygen demand. Caused by the explosive growth, eutrophication is one of the most visible types of man-made pollution of surface waters. In addition to fertilizer use, untreated industrial wastewater, agricultural wastewater and animal waste are additional sources of phosphates and other nutrients that disrupt the natural phosphate cycle [1,2,4]
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