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Article

A Low-Cost Multi-Parameter Water Quality Monitoring System

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sensors 2021, 21(11), 3775; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21113775
Submission received: 12 April 2021 / Revised: 14 May 2021 / Accepted: 26 May 2021 / Published: 29 May 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS Sensors and Actuators)

Abstract

Multi-parameter water quality monitoring is crucial in resource-limited areas to provide persistent water safety. Conventional water monitoring techniques are time-consuming, require skilled personnel, are not user-friendly and are incompatible with operating on-site. Here, we develop a multi-parameter water quality monitoring system (MWQMS) that includes an array of low-cost, easy-to-use, high-sensitivity electrochemical sensors, as well as custom-designed sensor readout circuitry and smartphone application with wireless connectivity. The system overcomes the need of costly laboratory-based testing methods and the requirement of skilled workers. The proposed MWQMS system can simultaneously monitor pH, free chlorine, and temperature with sensitivities of 57.5 mV/pH, 186 nA/ppm and 16.9 mV/°C, respectively, as well as sensing of BPA with <10 nM limit of detection. The system also provides seamless interconnection between transduction of the sensors’ signal, signal processing, wireless data transfer and smartphone app-based operation. This interconnection was accomplished by fabricating nanomaterial and carbon nanotube-based sensors on a common substrate, integrating these sensors to a readout circuit and transmitting the sensor data to an Android application. The MWQMS system provides a general platform technology where an array of other water monitoring sensors can also be easily integrated and programmed. Such a system can offer tremendous opportunity for a broad range of environmental monitoring applications.
Keywords: electrochemical sensors; free chlorine; heavy metal; pH; pharmaceutical contaminants; potentiostat; temperature sensor; water quality monitoring; water sensors electrochemical sensors; free chlorine; heavy metal; pH; pharmaceutical contaminants; potentiostat; temperature sensor; water quality monitoring; water sensors
Graphical Abstract

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MDPI and ACS Style

Alam, A.U.; Clyne, D.; Deen, M.J. A Low-Cost Multi-Parameter Water Quality Monitoring System. Sensors 2021, 21, 3775. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21113775

AMA Style

Alam AU, Clyne D, Deen MJ. A Low-Cost Multi-Parameter Water Quality Monitoring System. Sensors. 2021; 21(11):3775. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21113775

Chicago/Turabian Style

Alam, Arif Ul, Dennis Clyne, and M. Jamal Deen. 2021. "A Low-Cost Multi-Parameter Water Quality Monitoring System" Sensors 21, no. 11: 3775. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21113775

APA Style

Alam, A. U., Clyne, D., & Deen, M. J. (2021). A Low-Cost Multi-Parameter Water Quality Monitoring System. Sensors, 21(11), 3775. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21113775

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