A hand-held optical sensor for dissolved oxygen measurement

A hand-held dissolved oxygen optical sensor based on solid-state electronics and highly oxygen-sensitive luminescence material has been developed. Oxygen-sensitive dye absorbed on silica gel particles was dispersed in a 0.2 mm homogenous silicone rubber film (optode membrane) and coated on a 580 nm long-pass filter. The O₂-sensitive dye was excited by an ultra-bright blue light-emitting diode and the emission intensity was captured by a silicon photodiode. The long-pass filter efficiently reduced the scattered light from the light source. The emission signal of the optode membrane was converted to the voltage signal which was processed by a single-chip Micyoco controller, and the dissolved oxygen concentration was automatically displayed on a liquid crystal display unit. The developed hand-held optical sensor is a single-piece device which can provide instant and reliable dissolved oxygen measurement. The sensor showed good repeatability, photostability and long-term stability. Satisfactory results were obtained when its analytical performance was compared with that of a typical Clark-type amperometric oxygen electrode. The developed oxygen optical sensor possesses the advantages of portability, low cost and long lifetime.