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A fibre optic evanescent wave sensor used for the detection of trace nitrites in water

P Suresh Kumar1, C P G Vallabhan1, V P N Nampoori1, V N Sivasankara Pillai2 and P Radhakrishnan1

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A fibre optic technique for detecting trace amounts of nitrite compounds in water is described. The off-line fibre optic sensor outlined here is based on evanescent field absorption in a test solution formed by the reaction of nitrite compounds in water with suitable chemical reagents. A short unclad portion of a plastic clad silica fibre acts as the sensing region. The experimental results clearly establish the usefulness of the present technique for detecting very low concentrations of the order of 1 ppb (parts per billion) of nitrite compounds with a large dynamic range of 1–1000 ppb. Such a high sensitivity enables the present device to be used for measuring the nitrite content in drinking water.


PACS

42.81.Pa Sensors, gyros

92.40.Qk Water quality and water resources

07.88.+y Instruments for environmental pollution measurements

07.07.Df Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing

Subjects

Instrumentation and measurement

Optics, quantum optics and lasers

Environmental and Earth science

Dates

Issue 3 (May 2002)

Received 4 July 2001, in final form 17 December 2001

Published 8 March 2002



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