Abstract
A portable sensor system for the simultaneous detection of multiple environmentally relevant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in real seawater based on Fourier transform infrared fiber-optic evanescent wave spectroscopy (FT-IR-FEWS) was developed. A cylindrical silver halide (AgX) fiber with an ethylene/propylene copolymer (E/P-co) coated flattened segment was used as an active optical transducer. The polymer membrane enriches the hydrophobic analytes, while water is effectively excluded from the penetration depth of the evanescent field. Determination of multicomponent mixtures (i.e., 10 VOCs in real-world seawater samples) collected in Arcachon Bay, France revealed a high accuracy and reproducibility with detection limits down to 560 ppb. The measurement showed no significant influence from changing water conditions (e.g., salinity, turbidity, and temperature or other interfering substances). The time constants for 90% saturation of the polymer ranged from 20 to 60 min. The sensor system is capable of being transported for on-site monitoring of environmental pollutants in aqueous matrices with efficient long-term stability, thus showing great potential to be utilized as an early warning system.
Highlights
Increasing industrialization and population of coastal regions and the use of the ocean as a dumping ground for contaminated dredged material, sewage sludge, industrial, and domestic waste has led to increased pollution of the oceans, which is one of the most important environmental problems [1]
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are in part carcinogenic, mutagenic, and toxic, and may damage the health of humans and the marine ecosystem [3]
The widespread use of VOCs in the manufacturing and handling of paints, solvents, adhesives, fuels, pharmaceuticals, deodorants, fumigants, and refrigerants or leaking underground pipelines, solvent storage vessels, landfill, and manufacturing effluents has led to releases into the environment [4,5,6]
Summary
Increasing industrialization and population of coastal regions and the use of the ocean as a dumping ground for contaminated dredged material, sewage sludge, industrial, and domestic waste has led to increased pollution of the oceans, which is one of the most important environmental problems [1]. The feasibility of MIR-FEWS for pollutant monitoring in aqueous matrices (i.e., water and artificial seawater) through the use of a polymer coated polycrystalline AgX fiber as a sensing element has already been demonstrated by several research teams [47,49,50,61,62,63,64,65]. These studies have shown simultaneous detection up to six (chlorinated) hydrocarbons in water using a liquid nitrogen-cooled detector. The developed MIR sensor system facilitates a variety of applications including wastewater or effluent monitoring, underground fuel storage tanks and pipeline monitoring, and controlling drinking water supplies directly on-site from the point of intake and discharge
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call