Abstract
Long-period grating (LPG)-based chemical sensing offers a highly sensitive and convenient method for the determination of chemical contaminants in drinking water. Considering the importance of fluoride on health, an attempt has been made to develop a suitable LPG-based fiber optic sensor for the accurate measurement of fluoride in water. A novel refractometric sensor is designed, fabricated and its characterization done. The sensor is developed using a high sensitive LPG, fabricated on a hydrogen-loaded photosensitive fiber. Fluoride solutions of various concentrations are prepared using SPADNS method. Simulation studies are carried out using MATLAB for the development of the sensor. A special Teflon cell setup is fabricated for holding the solution and the LPG. Suitable light source and optical spectrum analyzer are selected, and the sensor is designed to give accurate results over a wide range. The developed sensor is calibrated, and water samples collected from various sources and regions are analyzed. The results are compared with those obtained using spectrophotometer, and it shows a one-to-one correspondence. The sensitivity and accuracy of the developed sensor are found considerably higher than similar evanescent wave sensor developed using multimode fiber and U-shaped probe.
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Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to Mr. Antony George, Additional General Manager in charge of chemistry and DM plant National Thermal Power Corporation Rajiv Gandhi Combined Cycle Power Plant (NTPC RGCCPP), Kayamkulam, Kerala, for providing all necessary help and valuable suggestions during the course of this work. The authors are thankful to SFO technologies, Cochin Special Economic Zone, Kakkanad, Kerala and International School of Photonics, Cochin University of Science and Technology for providing all necessary facilities during the course of this work.
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Pillai, A.B., Varghese, B. & Madhusoodanan, K.N. Design and development of a high-performance long-period fiber grating chemical sensor for the accurate determination of fluoride. J Opt 48, 318–323 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12596-019-00554-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12596-019-00554-w