Senior Project 2021-2022

Fourth Year Engineering Project: Optical Absorption Spectroscopy for Water Quality Measurements

Professor Christopher W. Smelser

Optical absorption can be used for a variety of water monitoring applications.  Eutrophication, a process by which a body of water becomes enriched with nutrients such as phosphate or nitrate, is commonly responsible for algal blooms that significantly impact the water quality of lakes.  The transmission spectrum of water can be used to measure chlorophyll-a which is associated with algae, allowing for us to determine the presence of an algal bloom.  The UV-VIS-IR optical spectrum allows for the determination of the degree of turbidity in the water, the existence of heavy metal impurities and nitrates.  Measurement of these compounds, especially if done remotely, can greatly enhance our ability to monitor real time changes in the water quality of freshwater lakes.  In this project we will be developing a spectrum analyzer that can be used for water quality monitoring. 

Project Components:

-Understanding spectral measurement of water.

-Modeling of optical spectrum and peak detection.

-User interface design.

-development of test cell and light delivery, capture and spectral measurement (either with high end optical spectrum analyzer or a micro-spectrometer mounted on an Arduino board).  

-development of test unit.

Project Details:

-Much of the work can be done remotely or can easily be done in a modular way, allowing for students to work from home.

-Meetings will initially be online until such a time as we can hold regular in-person meetings.