Publications (5)18.38 Total impact
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Article: Integrated optical fluorescence multisensor for water pollution.
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ABSTRACT: An integrated optical multisensor for organic pollutants has been realised, and characterised for a single analyte. The sensor exploits fluorescence immunoassay in the evanescent field of channel waveguides to enable rapid, simultaneous and high-sensitivity fluorescence detection of up to 32 pollutants in water. The chemical modification used to render the surface specific to analytes allows automatic regeneration for immediate reuse. The system has been demonstrated for the key pollutant estrone and a detection limit below 1 ng/L has been achieved.Optics Express 03/2005; 13(4):1124-30. · 3.59 Impact Factor -
Article: Automated water analyser computer supported system (AWACSS) Part I: Project objectives, basic technology, immunoassay development, software design and networking.
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ABSTRACT: A novel analytical system AWACSS (automated water analyser computer-supported system) based on immunochemical technology has been developed that can measure several organic pollutants at low nanogram per litre level in a single few-minutes analysis without any prior sample pre-concentration nor pre-treatment steps. Having in mind actual needs of water-sector managers related to the implementation of the Drinking Water Directive (DWD) (98/83/EC, 1998) and Water Framework Directive WFD (2000/60/EC, 2000), drinking, ground, surface, and waste waters were major media used for the evaluation of the system performance. The instrument was equipped with remote control and surveillance facilities. The system's software allows for the internet-based networking between the measurement and control stations, global management, trend analysis, and early-warning applications. The experience of water laboratories has been utilised at the design of the instrument's hardware and software in order to make the system rugged and user-friendly. Several market surveys were conducted during the project to assess the applicability of the final system. A web-based AWACSS database was created for automated evaluation and storage of the obtained data in a format compatible with major databases of environmental organic pollutants in Europe. This first part article gives the reader an overview of the aims and scope of the AWACSS project as well as details about basic technology, immunoassays, software, and networking developed and utilised within the research project. The second part article reports on the system performance, first real sample measurements, and an international collaborative trial (inter-laboratory tests) to compare the biosensor with conventional anayltical methods.Biosensors and Bioelectronics 03/2005; 20(8):1499-508. · 5.60 Impact Factor -
Article: Automated Water Analyser Computer Supported System (AWACSS) Part II: Intelligent, remote-controlled, cost-effective, on-line, water-monitoring measurement system.
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ABSTRACT: A novel analytical system AWACSS (Automated Water Analyser Computer Supported System) based on immunochemical technology has been evaluated that can measure several organic pollutants at low nanogram per litre level in a single few-minutes analysis without any prior sample pre-concentration or pre-treatment steps. Having in mind actual needs of water-sector managers related to the implementation of the Drinking Water Directive (DWD) [98/83/EC, 1998. Council Directive (98/83/EC) of 3 November 1998 relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption. Off. J. Eur. Commun. L330, 32-54] and Water Framework Directive (WFD) [2000/60/EC, 2000. Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy. Off. J. Eur. Commun. L327, 1-72], drinking, ground, surface, and waste waters were major media used for the evaluation of the system performance. The first part article gave the reader an overview of the aims and scope of the AWACSS project as well as details about basic technology, immunoassays, software, and networking developed and utilised within the research project. The second part reports on the system performance, first real sample measurements, and an international collaborative trial (inter-laboratory tests) to compare the biosensor with conventional anayltical methods. The systems' capability for analysing a wide range of environmental organic micro-pollutants, such as modern pesticides, endocrine disrupting compounds and pharmaceuticals in surface, ground, drinking and waste water is shown. In addition, a protocol using reconstitution of extracts of solid samples, developed and applied for analysis of river sediments and food samples, is presented. Finally, the overall performance of the AWACSS system in comparison to the conventional analytical techniques, which included liquid and gas chromatographic systems with diode-array UV and mass spectrometric detectors, was successfully tested in an inter-laboratory collaborative trial among six project partners.Biosensors and Bioelectronics 03/2005; 20(8):1509-19. · 5.60 Impact Factor -
Article: Photosensitivity of ion-exchanged Er-doped phosphate glass using 248nm excimer laser radiation.
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ABSTRACT: The photosensitivity to 248nm excimer laser radiation of Er-doped Schott IOG-1 phosphate glass is presented. The photosensitive mechanism is investigated by employing a grating recording process. Index changes of up to ~2.0x10(-3) were measured in silver ion-exchanged samples using diffraction efficiency measurements; whereas changes of only ~10(-5) were measured for non-ion-exchanged samples. Absorption measurements allowed the identification of specific color center bands, which were attributed to the glass matrix and to the silver ions. Investigation of the exposed ion-exchanged glass using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis revealed that in addition to the color centers formed, silver ion migration and ionization contribute significantly to the UV-induced index changes.Optics Express 08/2004; 12(14):3131-6. · 3.59 Impact Factor -
Article: Integrated optical dual Mach–Zehnder interferometer sensor
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ABSTRACT: The fabrication and operation of robust integrated optical refractometers, suitable for precise measurements of small changes without ambiguity over a wide range of refractive indices, is described. The design primarily uses an optical fibre coupled dual-sensitivity integrated optical Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) sensor chip incorporating 3×3 directional coupler combiners and internal referencing. High-index tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) films were deposited on the waveguide surface in order to increase sensitivity and measurements of their response to liquid analyte index have been carried out by passing aqueous sucrose solutions over the sensor surface. These devices are intended for application as high-sensitivity multi-purpose chemical sensors and bio-sensors.Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical.