Automated Spectrophotometric Assays of Water Quality

Format

SOECS Senior Project Demonstration

Abstract/Artist Statement

Water quality is assessed using a variety of assays. One is based on the amount of algae present in the water, as determined using spectrophotometer measurements of chlorophyll and its degradation products. Currently, such assays are performed in the laboratory by hand. We have designed a flow-through system that will enable automated assay of water samples with a spectrophotometer.Our design consists of a fluidic system, which can accept an algae sample, deliver it to the flow-through cell in the spectrophotometer to take a measurement, add and mix reagents, and finally dispose of the sample and flush the system. The design consists of tubing connected to micro-valves, a micro-pump, a peristaltic pump, and reagent reservoirs which contain the following solutions: the algae sample, hydrochloric acid, deionized water, and acetone. The micro-pump injects acid into the system, and the peristaltic pump circulates fluids through the system to exchange and transport fluid samples. In our prototype, custom electronic circuits under control of National Instruments LabView software and a peripheral IO board drive the valves and micropump. We expect to begin testing of our prototype soon. We will validate our design by comparing our results to those obtained from manual assays. We will describe these results, and our proposed final design, during our presentation.

Location

Pacific Geosciences Center

Start Date

30-4-2005 2:00 PM

End Date

30-4-2005 5:00 PM

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Apr 30th, 2:00 PM Apr 30th, 5:00 PM

Automated Spectrophotometric Assays of Water Quality

Pacific Geosciences Center

Water quality is assessed using a variety of assays. One is based on the amount of algae present in the water, as determined using spectrophotometer measurements of chlorophyll and its degradation products. Currently, such assays are performed in the laboratory by hand. We have designed a flow-through system that will enable automated assay of water samples with a spectrophotometer.Our design consists of a fluidic system, which can accept an algae sample, deliver it to the flow-through cell in the spectrophotometer to take a measurement, add and mix reagents, and finally dispose of the sample and flush the system. The design consists of tubing connected to micro-valves, a micro-pump, a peristaltic pump, and reagent reservoirs which contain the following solutions: the algae sample, hydrochloric acid, deionized water, and acetone. The micro-pump injects acid into the system, and the peristaltic pump circulates fluids through the system to exchange and transport fluid samples. In our prototype, custom electronic circuits under control of National Instruments LabView software and a peripheral IO board drive the valves and micropump. We expect to begin testing of our prototype soon. We will validate our design by comparing our results to those obtained from manual assays. We will describe these results, and our proposed final design, during our presentation.