Screen-Printed f-EM Sensors Based on Two Chelating-Polymers and a Metal Oxide for the Continuous Detection of Cu Ions in Surface Water

Abstract

Pollutants affect water worldwide and consequently present a risk to both the environment and to human health. Cu is an essential element for many organisms, but becomes toxic at relatively high concentrations. Current laboratory-based methods are not able to monitor water quality continuously, as they require laborious sampling and offline monitoring. A potential method that is capable to addressing this problem, guaranteeing the continuous monitoring of water resources, is the integration of microwave spectroscopy with functionalised electromagnetic (f-EM) sensors. The feasibility of using this combined method for achieving a more specific response toward low concentrations of Cu has been demonstrated.

Keywords

• Cu pollution
• thick film
• functionalised EM sensors
• microwave spectroscopy
• chelating polymers