Takuya Okazaki

Simultaneous multiselective spectroelectrochemical fiber-optic sensor: demonstration of the concept using methylene blue and ferrocyanide.

Herein, we present a novel spectroelectrochemical fiber-optic sensor that combines electrochemistry, spectroscopy, and electrostatic adsorption in three modes of selectivity. The proposed sensor is simple and consists of a gold mesh cover on a multimode fiber optic that uses attenuated total reflection as the optical detection mode. The sensing is based on changes in the attenuation of the light that passes through the fiber-optic core accompanying the electrochemical oxidation-reduction of an analyte at the electrode. Methylene blue and ferrocyanide were used as model analytes to evaluate the performance of the proposed sensor. The optical transmission changes generated by electrochemical manipulation showed a good linear relationship with the concentration and the limits of detection (3σ) for methylene blue and ferrocyanide at 2.0 × 10(-7) and 1.6 × 10(-3) M, respectively. The sensor responses were successfully enhanced with an additional level of selectivity via an electrostatically adsorbed, self-assembled monolayer (SAM), which consisted of a silane coupling layer, a polyanion, and a polycation. The improvement observed in the sensitivity of a SAM-modified fiber-optic sensor was rather encouraging. The optimized sensor had detection limits (3σ) of 8.3 × 10(-9) M for methylene blue and 7.1 × 10(-4) M for ferrocyanide. The developed sensor was successfully applied to the detection of ferrocyanide in simulated nuclear waste.

Fundamental Study on the Development of Fiber Optic Sensor for Real-time Sensing of CaCO3 Scale Formation in Geothermal Water

This study proposes an optical fiber sensor for calcium carbonate (CaCO3) scale formation in water. The sensor is easily fabricated by removing the cladding of a multimode fiber to expose the core towards the surrounding medium in order to detect refractive index change. A variation of the transmittance response from the high refractive index of CaCO3 which precipitated on the fiber core surface was observed. The proposed setup can be used to analyze the transmittance response over wide range of wavelength using white light as a source and also a spectroscopy detector. The curve of the transmittance percentage over time showed that a fiber core with 200 μm has higher sensitivity as compared to a fiber core with 400 μm. The findings from this study showed that the sensor detection region at near infrared (NIR) wavelengths showed better sensitivity than visible light (VIS) wavelengths. Field tests were conducted using natural geothermal water at Matsushiro, Japan in order to verify the performance of the proposed sensor. The optical response was successfully evaluated and the analytical results confirmed the capability of monitoring scale formation in a geothermal water environment.

Visual colorimetry for determination of trace arsenic in groundwater based on improved molybdenum blue spectrophotometry

Sensitive visual colorimetry was proposed for the on-site determination of arsenic in drinking water supplied from groundwater. The method was based on advanced molybdenum blue (MB) colorimetry combined with an enrichment technique using a membrane filter. A portable device equipped with two attachments of a CaCO3-cartridge was used to eliminate interference from phosphate and a tiny membrane holder to retain MB was proposed for on-site analysis. Ten mL of a sample solution containing 0.1–0.4 μg arsenic was passed through the CaCO3-cartridge. The arsenic in the sample solution was converted into MB and collected on a membrane filter as an ion-associate with a cationic surfactant. The arsenic was determined visually from the color intensity of the filter using a color chart made from the standard solution. The sensitivity is sufficient to detect the concentration of 10 μg L−1 adopted by the WHO standard. The speciation analysis of As(III) and As(V) was also successfully performed. The proposed method was applied to several groundwater samples, and the analytical results were well comparable with those obtained by HG-AAS.

Fiber Optic Sensor for Real-Time Sensing of Silica Scale Formation in Geothermal Water

We present a novel fiber optic sensor for real-time sensing of silica scale formation in geothermal water. The sensor is fabricated by removing the cladding of a multimode fiber to expose the core to detect the scale-formation-induced refractive index change. A simple experimental setup was constructed to measure the transmittance response using white light as a source and a spectroscopy detector. A field test was performed on geothermal water containing 980 mg/L dissolved silica at 93 °C in Sumikawa Geothermal Power Plant, Japan. The transmittance response of the fiber sensor decreased due to the formation of silica scale on the fiber core from geothermal water. An application of this sensor in the evaluation of scale inhibitors was demonstrated. In geothermal water containing a pH modifier, the change of transmittance response decreased with pH decrease. The effectiveness of a polyelectrolyte inhibitor in prevention of silica scale formation was easily detectable using the fiber sensor in geothermal water.

A Reusable Fiber Optic Sensor for the Real-Time Sensing of CaCO 3 Scale Formation in Geothermal Water

Herein, we present a novel regenerative fiber optic sensor for calcium carbonate scale formation in geothermal water. The proposed sensor was fabricated by covering an unclad multimode fiber core with a platinum mesh. This sensor can be regenerated for multiple measurements by dissolving the scale precipitated on the fiber optic surface based on the changes of pH accompanying the anodic electrolysis of water. The implementation of the proposed sensor was successfully applied to monitor the scale formation in natural geothermal water situated at Matsushiro, Japan.

Development of a Fiber Optic Evanescent Wave Sensor for Anionic Surfactants Using Ethyl Violet

A rapid and simple method for the determination of anionic surfactants based on an evanescent wave fiber optic was developed using ethyl violet. The sensor was prepared by removing the middle of the multimode fiber cladding. The optical signal from ethyl violet decreased with an increase in the sodium dodecyl sulfate concentration. The calibration curve was linear from 4 to 15 milligrams per liter with a limit of detection of 3.3 milligrams per liter. This simple fiber optic sensor requires a low volume of sample and does not employ extraction with organic solvents compared with conventional methods.

Simultaneous Multiselective Spectroelectrochemical Fiber-Optic Sensor: Sensing with an Optically Transparent Electrode

We present a spectroelectrochemical fiber-optic sensor with an optically transparent electrode. The sensor was fabricated by coating indium tin oxide (ITO) onto the surface of fiber-optic core chips using a polygonal barrel-sputtering method. The ITO-coated fiber-optic probe can be simply and cheaply mass-produced and used as a disposable probe. The sensing is based on changes in an attenuated total reflection signal accompanying the electrochemical oxidation-reduction of an analyte at the electrode. The properties of an ITO-coated fiber-optic probe as an optically transparent electrode were investigated for varying thicknesses of ITO. The sensor responses were successfully enhanced with an additional level of selectivity via an electrostatically adsorbed, self-assembled monolayer, which comprised a polyanion and polycation.

Fiber Optic Sensor with an Optically Transparent Electrode for Monitoring CaCO3 Scale Formation in Geothermal Water

Herein, we present a fiber optic sensor with an optically transparent electrode for monitoring calcium carbonate scale formation in geothermal water. The proposed sensor was fabricated by coating indium tin oxide onto the surface of an unclad multimode fiber core. The surface charge of the sensor could be controlled by applying potentials. The transmittance change for scale formation varied as a function of the applied potential. The proposed sensor was used to monitor the scale formation in natural geothermal water at Matsushiro, Japan.

Development of an Attenuated Total Reflection Based Fiber-Optic Sensor for Real-time Sensing of Biofilm Formation

A fiber-optic sensor capable of real-time monitoring of biofilm formation in water was developed. The sensor can be easily fabricated by removing the cladding of a multimode fiber optic to expose the core. The sensing action is based on the penetration of an evanescent wave through a biofilm formed on the surface of the exposed fiber core during total internal reflection. The proposed setup can be used to analyze the transmittance response over a wide wavelength range using a white-light source and a spectroscopy detector. The change in transmittance with respect to the biofilm formation on the fiber core surface was observed. The findings from this study showed that the sensor detection had better sensitivity at near-infrared wavelengths than at visible-light wavelengths. Moreover, the sensitivity of this sensor could be controlled by surface modifications of the core surface through electrostatic interactions, involving a silane coupling layer, polyanions, and polycations. The developed sensor was successfully applied to evaluating of the effectiveness of a commercial biofilm inhibitor.