FIBER FLUOROMETRY FOR ON-LINE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS

NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS USED IN HYDROPONIC PLANT GROWING FACILITIES (SUCH AS NASA'S CELSS) SHOULD BENEFIT FROM ON-LINE MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL OF THE IONIC CONCENTRATIONS OF THE NUTRIENTS THAT MAKE UP SUCH SOLUTIONS. BIOTRONICS HAS DEVELOPED AN ON-LINE FIBER-LINKED FLUOROMETRIC ANALYZER POTENTIALLY CAPABLE OF MEASURING THESE IONIC CONCENTRATIONS. THIS FIBER-OPTIC BASED FLUOROMETRIC ANALYZER, DESIGNATED THE BI-401, IS DESIGNED TO MEASURE THE CHEMICAL CONCENTRATION OF LIQUID COMPOUNDS BASED ON FLUORESCENT TECHNIQUES. INITIAL APPLICATIONS OF THE BI-401 EMPHASIZED ANALYTES WITH NATIVE (PRIMARY) FLUORESCENCE AS IN AROMATIC COMPOUNDS AND FERMENTATION CONTROL. IONIC CONCENTRATION MEASUREMENTS WILL REQUIRE THE USE OF IMMOBILIZED CHELATE REAGENTS THAT VARY IN SECONDARY FLUORESCENCE INTENSITY WITH IONIC CONCENTRATIONS. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH INVESTIGATION WILL EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF ON-LINE MEASUREMENT OF IONIC NUTRIENTS SUCH AS POTASSIUM, MAGNESIUM AND NITRATES USING THE BI-401 FIBER FLUOROMETRIC ANALYZER WITH AN OPTRODE (PROBE) COATED WITH VARIOUS IMMOBILIZED REAGENTS. THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE CHELATE REAGENT AND THE TARGET ION WILL GENERATE FLUORESCENCE WITH AN INTENSITY THAT IS PROPORTIONAL TO ION CONCENTRATION. THE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE OF BIOTRONICS WITH FIBER FLUORESCENCE INSTRUMENTATION SUPPORTED BY OUTSIDE RESEARCH IN IMMOBILIZED REAGENT FLUORESCENCE PROVIDE A HIGH PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS FOR THIS PROJECT.