Determination of Potassium Concentration in Solution Using Optical Fiber Sensors

Potassium is a mineral that has an important role in maintaining fluid balance in the human body and controlling blood pressure in the body. In addition, potassium also plays a role in maintaining the function of the muscles and nerves that control the heart. The development of instruments and methods developed to obtain more accurate measurements of potassium concentration requires an institution with high sensitivity. One of the instruments utilizes the principle of electromagetic wave symptoms made by optical sensor systems with the use of optical fibers for waveguides to maintain their intensity stability. The optical fiber bundle instrument in the optical sensor system to determine potassium concentration in the hope that this instrument can present accurate measurement parameters and better sensor sensitivity. In this study, samples of standard solutions with potassium as a solute and pure water function as solvents. Potassium solution samples that are in the bottom of the vessel there is a flat mirror that reflects the laser beam that has been through the process of absorption by the sample solution. The reflected neon helium laser is transmitted through the optical fiber receiver to measure the change in wave intensity using an optical detector. The intensity of the reflected laser beam waves is read by an optical detector and converted to an electrical energy display by measuring the maximum electrical voltage using a digital voltmeter. The parameters measured in the experiment investigate the relationship between the change in the concentration of the potassium solution and the maximum voltage read on a digital voltmeter. The results of data analysis determine the concentration of potassium to achieve high sensitivity, linearity and accuracy with a sensitivity value of 0.01 mV/ppm, linearity of more than 99%, linear range of 0-10 ppm, so the instrument is very valid and high sensitivity.