Water quality assessment by an integrated multi-sensor based on semiconductor RuO2 nanostructures

A multi-sensor based on a nanostructured semiconductor ruthenium oxide (RuO2) sensing electrode (RuO2-SE) deposited on an alumina substrate and capable of being coupled with a simple turbidity sensor has been evaluated for long-term pH stability during a 12-month non-stop trial. The multi-sensor is designed to detect the main parameters of water quality: pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature, conductivity and turbidity over a temperature range of 9–30 °C. The morphology of the film SE used in the sensor structure was investigated by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray-analysis at the beginning of the trial and after 12 months of service. It was found that both morphology and surface compositions of nanostructured RuO2-SEs did not change significantly. They keep their high sensitivity to adsorption of superoxide ions (O2−) despite heavy depositions of bio-fouling. The sensors with a RuO2-SE have demonstrated a stable Nernstian response to pH from 2.0 to 13.0 and were also capable of measuring DO in the range of 0.6–8.0 ppm. The measurement results show very good linearity, and excellent reproducibility was obtained during the trial. The Nernstian slope was approximately 58 mV pH−1 at a temperature of 23 °C. Although RuO2-SEs have been shown to exhibit very good response time for pH changes, within a few seconds at a temperature of 23 °C, as the water temperature cooled down, the sensor response time increased significantly and was about 8–10 min or longer at a temperature of 9 °C. The influence of hydrogen ion (H+) diffusion in nanostructured RuO2 films on the output emf drift during pH measurements was also investigated. Additional turbidity and conductivity measurements revealed that the multi-sensor is capable of measuring both high and low ranges at different temperatures, exhibiting a high linearity of characteristics.