High accuracy OrMoSil (Polyvinylidene Fluoride)-supported colorimetric sensor: Novel approach for the calculation of the pH prediction error

Abstract

pH colorimetric sensors with prediction error comparable to the potentiometric measurements in the working range of the indicator employed, were prepared. Bromothymol Blue (BB), Tetrabromophenol Blue (TBB), Cresol Red (CR) and Brilliant Yellow (BY) in PVDF (Polyvinylidene Fluoride)-supported OrMoSil (organically modified silicate) matrix, were used. Sensor preparation was reproducible. Signal was based on a suitably modified Hue coordinate from HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) color space, H. Although H profile was not influenced by the indicator concentrations, the prediction error depended on the product of saturation and luminance, Δ. By using H, the response of every spot was less affected by shape and optical inhomogeneity. The H calibration held for all the spots of the same lot and remained identical in time giving an advantage with respect to a glass electrode requiring calibration before each set of measurements. The prediction errors both in solution and in the OrMoSil matrix were similar: for BB, spHi = 0.03 in both environments; for TBB, spHi = 0.02 in the sensing spot and 0.05 in solution; for CR, spHi = 0.11 in the sensing spot and 0.04 in solution; for BY, spHi = 0.17 in the sensing spot and 0.07 in solution. Indeed, H values of TBB and BB increased their variances near the inflection point where Δ has the minimum value (heteroscedastic behavior).