Mobile Laboratory
(UTM Water Quality Monitoring System)
- A research domain for Eco-process Engineering -
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| This figure explains the origine of the responsibility to save our biosphere.
The qualitative and quantitative matters are main issue in water environmental
issues. UTM Water Quality Monitoring System is developed to deal with the
qualitative problems. In the sense, restoration/ conservation activity
of water environment can be explained taking example to drive a car, as
bellow. |
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In order to provide "convenient water quality data", UTM Water Quality monitoring system has researched and developped. The system is a set of different level and approachof water quality analysis.
The system has developped by Exploratory Research Grant (ERGS, RM64.56K,
4L015), Fundamental Research Grant (FRGS, RM127K, 4F089), Short term grant
(STG-UTM, RM30K, 4F989), and Research University Grant (GUP, 40K, 01J16)
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| Level 1. |
Level 2. |
| Immediate onsite analysis |
Multi-parameter
large number samples analysis |
Rapid onsite water quality test kits can differentiate and evaluate the
water quality level. The particular character is simplified analytical
process, user friendly, nontoxic, low cost, enjoyable, on-site and which
is applicable for environmental workshop to make gregional wisdom for
water-environmenth.
Pack Test and E-coli test strip are one of the most simplest tools for chemical property of water qualities and bacterial contamination, respectively.
Pack Test
Publication (Kikuchi et al. 2010; Faiz 2011)
Pack test is a kind of ion selective water quality text kit, which principle
is based on spectorophotometric batch water quality analysis. Coloring
reagent is packed in a plastic tube for one time test, and the accuracy
is, approximately to say, ppm level. Details are written in publications
shown above.
1. Sampling.
To prepare water sample in a cup. It is possible directory to take water
sample from sampling water body if safe.
2. Totake water sample inside of the test tube.
To use PackTest, first should pull out the plastic pin is pull out to make
pin-hole.
Then pinch and release the inside air.
And suck up the water sample.
And choose the reaction time according to the tempeature condition (example
for COD).
After the reaction time, concentration of analyte can be recognized by the standard color chart. The same color means the same concentration.
The COD of drinking water should be zero, it means that if the PackTest
show higher COD the water is not suitable for drinking.
Bacterial contamination test strip
Bacterial contamination test strip has been developed for daily process
control for food factory. The tool can be applied for environmental monitoring.
1. First, users need to understand, who is starting general-bacterial -contamination
testing.
2. Carefuly use the test strip for sampling.
In the beginning, write the name and number of the sampling place on that.
Then, you need to clean your hands with alcohol.
The next step is to open the mouth of the cover without touching the strip
inside.
Then rinse the strip with water sample from one side.
In this step you need to put the strip back into the cover carefully.
In this step you need to put the strip back into the cover carefully.
Then remove the head.
Empty the air inside the cover and close it like the picture.
3. After the sampling, it need to incubate.
The next step is to incubate the test strip in 35-37C. As body temperature
is also 37C, you can keep the test strip in contact with your body or
keep in the incubator for 24 hours.
4. Counting colonies
The blue spots are called colonies which is coliform bacteria. As one test
strip suck in 1ml sample water, number of colonies x 100 = number of coliform
bacteria in 100ml sample. This value is used for environmental monitoring.
To identify the gfecal coloniesh you need to watch it under UV light. If you find even one shiny colony on that it means that this water is not suitable for drinking. Under UV light you may see a view like the picture.
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The equipment for multi-parameter-large-number-samples analysis is a integrated
Ion Chromatography and Flow injection system, which modified from TOSOH
IC2010. Because of very wide applicability of analytical modes, this system
has developped. (Kikuchi et al.2012)
(The parson in the picture above is Mr. Romaidi, Universitus Islam Negeri Malang, Indonesia).
Because of the system is full automated flow based analytical system, required
amout of sample is uL order and reagent as well as experimental waste water
also drastically reduced.
Sampling process
Generally, onsite filtration is parformed
2mL shell vial is used for sampling. We applyo reduce amount of sample
for convenient water quality watching.
Generally, onsite filtration is performed by plastic syringe and syringe filter. For the simplicity, two-part syringe is selected, and membrane filter arranged by nylon for curcume neutral to alkaline sample and polypropylene is for acidic sample.
Using plastic syringe and 2mL plastic shell vial, sample is collected onsite.
Only this small vial is taken back to laboratory. Because of this simplicity,
experimenter can more concentrate to observe environmental condition during
and after sampling, moreover, transportation process is drastically become
simple. Thereby one of the advantages is as water is filtered and amount
is small, (international) transportation is quite easy, it can enhance
coloboration research between researchers in remote place.
The plastic vials are set on the sampletable in IC-FIA integrated system
and analyzed.
Analytical process
The basis of the system is automated all-in-one Ion Chromatography system. Considering the similarity between Ion Chromatography and Flow Injection Analytical system, these systems were integrated by a switching valve. Switching the valve, Ion Chromatography mode and Flow Injection mode are available.
Publication: Kikuchi et al.(2012)
Within only this small modification, quite wide analytical options is established
by one equipment. Because the analysis is flow-based-analysis, sample is
only uL order, and reagent is also drastically decreased. Moreover, analytical
performance is also better than conventional batch methods.
1. Screening total ion concentration (EC) and absorbance 280nm (ABS280nm)
EC (electrical conductivity) is an indicator for total ionized substances concentration. ABS280nm is indicator for organic molecule concentration (e.g. COD).
2. To decide dullution rate for analysis.
If mineral ion concentration is too high, it is not suitable for common cation and anion simultaneous analysis by Ion Chromatography. Thus, samples EC are regulated by dilution with ultra pure water. For the sample dilution, automated dilution function of IC2010 can be applied. ABS280nm also used for same purpose, to eliminate damage on analytical column of Ion Chromatography.
3. Actual Water Quality Analysis
If injection volume (actual sample volume for analysis) is 100uL, 5 time
analysis are possible. By the first 2mL onsite filtered sample,
1) Common cation and anion: SO42-, Cl-, NO3-, NH4+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+
are analized using IC mode. Then using FIA mode, 2) NO2- and 3) PO43- are
analyzed. Then using next 2mL onsite filtered sample, Total phosphorous
(TP), Total Nitrogen (TN), and COD are analyzed.
From the value, total cation, dissolved organic-P, inorganic total nitrogen, dissolved organic-N, ion balance are calculated.
By these anallysis, as onite filtered samle are used, Particulate organic
phosphorous can not be analyzed, but ortho-phosphorous, and dissolved organic
phosphorous are able to be analyzed.
By these anallysis, samely, particulate organic nitrogen can not be analyzed,
but NH4, NO2, NO3, dissolved organic nitrogen are able to be analyzed.
A seaquence of water quality analysis explained here is only a simple example,
howeer, common mineral ions, organic molecule contamination (COD), dissolved
nitrogen species, and dissolved phosphorous species are available. After
these analysis, still 3 to 6 times analysis are possible by remaining sample
in vial. Currently, In order to analyze particulate COD, N, and P, it is
planed to apply decomposition process of organic molecule contaminant on
membrane filter.
The detection limits determined at a signal-to-noise ratio of three were
0.31 uM/L for SO42- (29.5 ppb), 0.50 uM/L for Cl- (17.7 ppb), 0.89 uM/L
for NO3- (12.5 ppb), 0.52 uM/L for Na+ (11.9 ppb), 0.94 uM/L for NH4+ (13.2
ppb), 1.24 uM/L for K+ (48.5 ppb), 0.76 uM/L for Mg2+ (18.4 ppb), 1.75
uM/L for Ca2+ (70.0 ppb), 0.02 uM/L for NO2- (0.7 ppb), 0.12 uM/L for PO43-
(11.4 ppb), and 0.03 uS/cm for EC (Table 1).
According to our preliminary survey, comparing to these detection limit,
the resolution among analyte ions, and EC were satisfactory in order to
assess the trend of environmental water quality difference in UTM Johor
Bharu campus. |
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What for is it?
Water is, no need to say, essential resources for mankind and any kind of biota. However, the consequence of changes in the water cycle, water environmental problems happens for both surface and groundwater fed ecosystem in regional biosphere. Thereby to make better understanding for ecological problem and estimation of ecological function and priority of regional ecosystem conservation/restoration, some particular transdisciplinary researches has started since late 1980th. It was application driven research making better understanding of ecological issued from hydrological aspect, which discipline was named Eco-hydrology. UTM Water Quality Monitoring System is a tool to provide convenient approach to the Eco-hydrology.
What is it?
In an ecohydorological study, ecosystem from experimental pant to reagional biosphere are analyzed in context of system science. UTM Water Quality Monitoring System is a tool to provide packaged convenient approaches for water quality monitoring. The pith of the system is multilayer water quality monitoring skill, which consisted of 1) Immediate onsite analysis, 2) Multi-parameter large number sample analysis, and 3) Sensitive analysis.
How it works?
Eco-process engineering is a practical capacity to control the water circulation in a ecosystem making better value of it. In a research activity of Eco-process engineering, ecosystem profiling is the first step. Thereby, once a research topic has come up, plausible perspectives are selected from scientific thought of our mind. The process is to be done personally or group discussion. Based on the scientific gabductionh process, testable models (hypothesizes) are selected. From the potential models (hypothesizes) of scientific knowledge, the most plausible model is selected via statistical process with DATA. Important point here is the fact that the fundamental process of research activities is to be model section, so thereby UTM Water Quality Monitoring system can provide sufficient approach and data in order to select plausible hypothesis in water environmental researches and educational programs.
What is the usage?
In ecohydrological studies, because the targeted problems are mostly complex,
inter-disciplinal approaches are commonly applied in order to generate
more plausible models (hypothesizes). The better understandings for ecological
problems are being established from two points. One is to make plausible
model (hypothesis) before a research, and the other is to prepare rich
data during a research to make credibility of selected model as new knowledge
after a research (posterior information). Hereby, it need to define that
scientific knowledge, especially for environmental issues, are only rationalization
from induction process of models (hypothesizes) selection by limited data.
One of the aims to develop UTM Water Quality Monitoring system was to improve
the data limitation in order to provide better degree of credibility for
ested model (hypothesis). The rich water quality data forms the better
posterior knowledge (information) which can be assimilated with index of
information criterions. As a consequence, the scientific thought of our
mind that has used to make plausible perspectives will be improved in a
research. UTM Water Quality Monitoring system has developed to contribute
for this information establishment processes from convenient water quality
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