Fiber optic sensor for simultaneous determination of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and relative humidity

We describe a novel optical sensor for the simultaneous measurement of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), ozone (O(3)), and relative humidity (RH). A transparent backing thin layer silica gel chromatographic plate impregnated with 8-amino-1-naphthol-5-sulfonic acid (ANS) is used as the collection/sensor element. The plate transmittance is probed by three discrete light emitting diodes (LEDs) centered, respectively, at 442, 525, and 850 nm. The transmission of the plate changes reversibly across visible to NIR wavelengths as the RH around the plate changes; this is the basis for a limited-resolution RH sensor. The ANS on the plate reacts to form brown and pink colored products, respectively, when it reacts with NO(2) and O(3). The sample air impinges on the plate via an entrance nozzle. The LEDs are alternately turned on in a preprogrammed manner and the light is brought to the impregnated face of the plate by a three-legged fiber optic. The transmitted light is detected on the obverse side of the plate. The 850 nm signal provides the RH value and optionally serves as the reference measurement for the other two wavelengths; the NO(2) and O(3) reaction products do not absorb at this wavelength. The absorbance at 442 and 525 nm, thus referenced against 850 nm, are used to obtain NO(2) and O(3) concentrations from a pair of simultaneous equations. For a sampling period of 5 min, the limits of detection (LOD) based on 3 times the standard deviation of blank responses were 0.64 and 0.42 ppbv for NO(2) and O(3), respectively. Data obtained with collocated commercial instruments (O(3) induced chemiluminescence analyzer for NO(2) and UV-absorption for O(3)) show good agreement. Overall, this provides a viable affordable approach for inexpensive measurement of atmospheric NO(2) and O(3).