Real-Time, Portable FTIR for In-Situ Measurements of Soluble Reactive Phosphorus
Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6180-7321 : Nathan Drouillard
Standing
Undergraduate
Type of Proposal
Poster Presentation
Faculty
Faculty of Science
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. TJ. Hammond
Proposal
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is one of the most sensitive spectroscopic techniques, which is useful for measuring weak spectral signatures. In particular, FTIR is used to characterize the chemical nature of algae. Recently, scientists at GLIER have found that bloom frequency and toxicity have increased in Lake Erie, and the exact cause is not yet known. This requires extensive and often real-time monitoring of nutrients in these bodies of water. The hope is that a portable spectrometer would aid in in-situ chemical analysis and help to further avoid situations in which samples change in the time between when they are extracted and when they are tested in the laboratory. For instance, concentrations of soluble reactive phosphorus have been known to change during transport as they are sensitive to microbial uptake and release.
This project involves developing a home-built FTIR spectrometer and optimizing the device for attosecond (1 as = 10-18 s) spectral changes. We convert the interferometric optical signal measured with a photodiode (light sensor) using an analog-to-digital converter, and store the data into memory using the Python programming language. This signal arises due to interference between two overlapping laser beams in the interferometer. Inherent limitations of this process are that it is relatively slow for large datasets and does not allow for signal analysis in real-time.
To overcome these limitations, we have adopted the Python library Tkinter to create a graphical user interface for real-time observation of the signal in both time and frequency domains (through the Fourier transform). Python is a ubiquitous language, thus making this software quite versatile for both hardware implementation and collaboration with other researchers. By designing the software in this manner, it will be readily executable from a touchscreen display connected to a small Raspberry Pi computer that will act as the control hub for the portable device.
Real-Time, Portable FTIR for In-Situ Measurements of Soluble Reactive Phosphorus
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is one of the most sensitive spectroscopic techniques, which is useful for measuring weak spectral signatures. In particular, FTIR is used to characterize the chemical nature of algae. Recently, scientists at GLIER have found that bloom frequency and toxicity have increased in Lake Erie, and the exact cause is not yet known. This requires extensive and often real-time monitoring of nutrients in these bodies of water. The hope is that a portable spectrometer would aid in in-situ chemical analysis and help to further avoid situations in which samples change in the time between when they are extracted and when they are tested in the laboratory. For instance, concentrations of soluble reactive phosphorus have been known to change during transport as they are sensitive to microbial uptake and release.
This project involves developing a home-built FTIR spectrometer and optimizing the device for attosecond (1 as = 10-18 s) spectral changes. We convert the interferometric optical signal measured with a photodiode (light sensor) using an analog-to-digital converter, and store the data into memory using the Python programming language. This signal arises due to interference between two overlapping laser beams in the interferometer. Inherent limitations of this process are that it is relatively slow for large datasets and does not allow for signal analysis in real-time.
To overcome these limitations, we have adopted the Python library Tkinter to create a graphical user interface for real-time observation of the signal in both time and frequency domains (through the Fourier transform). Python is a ubiquitous language, thus making this software quite versatile for both hardware implementation and collaboration with other researchers. By designing the software in this manner, it will be readily executable from a touchscreen display connected to a small Raspberry Pi computer that will act as the control hub for the portable device.