Development of SPR Sensor-Based System for Copper Ion Detection in Water

Heavy metal contamination in water is one of the main environmental issues and considerable thought is provided to its remedy worldwide. Metals are essential to sustain a biological system and drinking water should comprise metals below a certain ppm (pieces per million) level. The majority of urban individuals depend on existing water supplies. Copper (Cu2+) is one of the most toxic ions present in water among all metal ions. Copper is a transition metal that is robust in its crystalline state. Water consumption from a supply scheme that involves copper pipes significantly boosts copper levels in water. It is therefore essential to evaluate water quality in the laboratory before consumption. The price of water testing in a laboratory is quite large for an individual and needs elaborate tools. A small price, convenient and easy-to-use machinery is therefore necessary so that everyone can perform tests rapidly. The sensor that can be used for this type of equipment is a Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) sensor. The main objective is to design a very low-cost electronic system based on SPR to detect the concentration of Copper (Cu2+) ions in the water sample.