Oxygen-sensitive reagent matrices for the development of optical fibre chemical transducers

Abstract

A number of chemically-sensitive media were investigated for their suitability in the development of an oxygen-sensitive optical fibre transducer. The reagent phase is the heart of the transducer, where oxygen is measured by collisional quenching of the immobilised fluorescent indicator by oxygen. Fluorescence quenching is a rapid and reversible process and can be appropriately incorporated in an optical fibre oxygen transducer. The analytical system employed for measuring the fluorescence response to oxygen is described and the underlying reasons behind the selection process for the most suitable reagent matrix are discussed.