A reliable and budget-friendly, solution-based analysis of multiple analytes of boiler water based on reflection scanometry

Abstract

The development of sensor array composed of individually cylindrical cavities in the sheet of Plexiglas® which are served as miniaturized reaction chambers is described. In this method the cells containing the sample solutions were scanned with a conventional flatbed-scanner and the obtained image was used to acquire the analytical parameters for quantitative determination of analytes that occurs via colorimetric reaction. The analytical parameters, an estimated reflection density, is obtained from an area of the sensing zone of each cell “the region of interest (ROI)” by using the average R (red), G (green) and B (blue) channels. Degrees of the color of the ROI are found to be proportional to the concentration of the tested analyte. In this method homogeneity, rate of reaction and detection limit of analysis were improved by scanning solution instead of a nonhomogen media such as TLC, other porous solid materials or optical sensor membranes. The power and utility of this new array detection methodology is demonstrated here for the analysis of complex samples containing a variety of important classes of analytes including hydrazine, phosphate and iron(III) which are available in boiler water samples.