Iranian Researchers Develop Sensor to Ensure Aquatic Environment Safety

A team of Iranian researchers has developed a hydrogel-based sensor to monitor ammonium levels in water, aimed at maintaining the quality of aquatic environments.

According to Mehr News Agency, monitoring water quality in aquaculture, particularly the impact of ammonium levels on fish health, has been a challenging task due to limitations in traditional methods.

In this regard, Mohammad Mirzaei (University of Gorgan), Mehdi Askari Sedeh (University of Tehran), Mostafa Baghani (University of Tehran), and Ali Zolfaghari, a researcher at Deakin University in Australia, have innovatively designed a capacitive sensor with an ionic hydrogel transducer for real-time monitoring of ammonium concentration.

This sensor operates by separating ammonium within the hydrogel, leading to osmotic pressure changes and variations in electrode capacitance.

Additionally, analytical formulas verified through finite element simulations demonstrated the sensor's ability to detect varying ammonium levels.

The concept proposed by this team of Iranian researchers offers a promising and cost-effective approach to addressing the limitations of traditional methods, paving the way for further research and development in water quality monitoring for aquaculture systems.