Fiber Optic Spectroelectrochemical Sensors for In Situ Measurements

University Of North Carolina At Pembroke, Pembroke NC

Investigators

Abstract

This project, conducted by Dr. Paul Flowers and undergraduate students at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, is supported in the Analytical and Surface Chemistry program. The research, which is a part of NSF's Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) initiative, develops fiber optic spectroelectrochemical (FOSEC) sensors and related methodology for potential application to various in situ measurements. Specifically the research includes 1) construction and evaluation of the fiber optic spectroelectrochemical sensors for absorbance and fluorescence measurements, 2) characterization of the spectroscopic and redox properties of selected analytes, e. g. Cu(II) and Cr(VI) in various solutions , and 3) development and assessment of analytical protocols for FOSEC sensor measurement of these analytes. This research is expected to lead to new in situ measurement strategies. Such strategies could result in enhanced selectivities, reduced chemical waste, and increased versatility when compared to the analytical methods that they replace.