RU201361U1 - PORTABLE FLUORIMETER - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model relates to a measuring technique and is designed to measure the content of chlorophyll-A in water by the fluorometric method in the field, while ensuring the portability and ergonomics of the device. The portable fluorometer contains: an ergonomic plastic case, a unit for receiving / transmitting data via a USB port and a charge / discharging controller for the internal battery, an internal battery, a wireless receiving / transmitting data module, a fluorometer control unit, controls, a controller unit with a measuring signal converter with LCD display, measuring unit, fixing the measuring compartment cover with a soft opening / closing mechanism, measuring compartment cover, measuring compartment with a cuvette, locking mechanism for measuring compartment cover with a button. The technical result consists in increasing the sensitivity when measuring low concentrations of chlorophyll-A fluorescence in an aqueous medium, both in vivo and fixed in acetone. 2 ill.

Description

The utility model relates to measuring equipment and is designed to measure the content of chlorophyll-A in water in the field using the fluorometric method.

From the prior art, designs of devices for measuring the content of chlorophyll-A are known (RU 124393 U1, IPC G01N 21/01, 25.05.2012) [1], (RU 2308708 C2, IPC G01N 21/64, 22.11.2005) [2], (RU 177930 U1, MP G01N 21/64, 15.12.2016) [3], (RU 108844 U1, IPC G01N 21/64, 05.04.2011) [4], (Photosynthesis YIELD ANALYZER MINI-PAM. Portable Chlorophyll Fluorometer. // Handbook of Operation. 2.115 / 04.96 2. Edition: August 1999. © Heinz Walz GmbH. Available at URL: https://www.walz.com/downloads/manuals/mini-pam-II/MINIP_1EB.pdf.) [5], (RU 2375701 C1, IPC G01N 21/64, 23.10.2008) [6]. Various systems are known for performing fluorometric measurements in aqueous media. Known designs include various versions of submersible measuring systems (made in the form of a hummock cable [1], a two-channel fluorimeter with the intersection of the optical axes of the exciting and recorded signals [2], or containing one or more optical sources of excitation of the phytoplankton lifetime fluorescence with photodetectors [3]) in which the measurement is carried out directly in the analyzed environment, laser for non-contact research [4], as well as portable instruments and laboratory devices [5, 6, 7], using a different layout of measuring units in conjunction with auxiliary (power supplies, amplification, conversion signals and transmission) with optimal interfacing of analog and electronic units of devices by a circuit combination of hardware capabilities of devices and algorithmic modes of their operation (microprocessor and software) to determine the content of phytopigments (for example, chlorophyll A (chl-A)) [5, 6] or to determine the concentration of heavy metal ions using nucleic acid-based fluorimetry [7]. Each of the known constructions has its own advantages for various fields of application: ensuring high sensitivity and selectivity of the analytical signal [6]; are portable, for use in the field, with the ability to save the received data and transfer them to a personal computer using USB and Ethernet input / output interfaces; the ability to conduct research in continuous modes [3,5,7]. Also known designs have drawbacks such as: lack of data transmission modules in some devices; lack of control systems, correction and transmission of the received signal and ensuring the mobility and compactness of all the above devices while maintaining high sensitivity and quality of the results; have complex and cumbersome designs that determine their high economic costs in manufacturing, and a portable fluorimetric apparatus that ensures operation in field conditions [7] is intended only for determining the concentrations of heavy metal ions using fluorimetry and has a bulky design of a measuring unit using reference reagents based on nuclionic acids ...

All known designs, except for the fluorometric apparatus [7], allow to control the level of blooming of blue-green algae in the aquatic environment, the excessive distribution of which affects the ecological situation (blue-green algae as an indicator of the ecological situation of water bodies). The "hyperbloom" of potentially toxic blue-green algae has a great impact on the ecosystem - their biomass in summer exceeds the level at which secondary eutrophication (biological pollution) is observed. In the coastal zone, during the accumulation and decomposition of algae, there is a local lack of oxygen and fish death [8], which necessitates a mobile device for rapid diagnostics by regulatory authorities and research organizations, for example, by assessing the fluorescence of phytopigments. The fluorescent method for the determination of Chl-A is widely used in biooceanology and has been developed in detail [9, 10] since its description in 1963 [11]. Most fluorimeters for in situ determination of Chl-A use a broadband radiation source with a primary light filter (λ _max ~ 430 nm) to excite fluorescence, and a sensitive photomultiplier equipped with a secondary light filter (λ _max ≥ 660 nm) for signal registration [5,8] ...

The closest in purpose and design to the claimed utility model is a pulse fluorimeter [5], taken as a prototype, which is industrially produced in a portable form and is used to measure chlorophyll fluorescence.

The well-known portable fluorometer [5] contains an aluminum case equipped with five communication connectors: for connection via a USB port; for fiber optics; for a sheet clamp, or for a quantum / temperature microsensor; for connecting charging the internal battery; for connecting external emitters with a clip-holder for objects illuminated by LEDs ("Blue" at a wavelength of 455 nm with a half-width at half-height (FWHM) 20 nm "Red" at a wavelength of 750 nm (FWHM 25 nm) and a selective amplifier), unit (fiber optics equipped with photodiodes) and Bluetooth board (v.2.0).

However, the known design does not provide full mobility of using the device in the field, and the measurement of high concentrations of chlorophyll (leaves of green plantations) is performed under natural light, which gives an additional error when measuring low concentrations of phytopigment. At extremely low chlorophyll concentrations, measurement is not feasible at all. Also, this design does not allow measuring the concentration of phytoplankton chlorophyll in the aquatic environment with an assessment of the state of the photosynthetic apparatus of phytoplankton and the level of physiological stress in aquatic plants due to the separate registration of intravital chlorophyll fluorescence, especially when taking water samples under conditions of limited opportunities or field conditions of coastal zones or directly in aquatic environment. In addition, the described devices do not contain information about the inability to charge the device via the USB port, internal battery, or pairing with a mobile device such as a smartphone.

The technical task of the claimed utility model is to eliminate these shortcomings and create a portable fluorimeter made in an ergonomic case (due to its design, it allows to reduce the probability of operator error and increase the comfort of his working conditions in the field), which allows simultaneous measurement of dissolved organic matter and phytoplankton pigments , as well as providing measurement of low concentrations of fluorescence of Chl-A in an aqueous medium, due to an increase in the sensitivity, both in vivo and fixed in acetone [12, 13].

EFFECT: increased sensitivity when measuring low concentrations of fluorescence of chl-A in an aqueous medium, both in vivo and fixed in acetone.

The specified technical result is achieved by the fact that the portable fluorimeter consists of: an ergonomic small-sized body; unit for receiving / transmitting data via USB-port (which also provides charging of the internal battery); a unit for receiving / transmitting data via a wireless connection; governing bodies; controller with LCD display; measuring compartment; systems for smooth automatic opening and manual closing of the measuring compartment lid for positioning the measuring cuvette; a mechanism for fixing the cover of the measuring compartment; measuring unit with one or more pulsed optical sources directed to the measuring cuvette with the investigated aqueous solution to excite vivo fluorescence of phytoplankton or fixed in acetone and a photodetector that receives the optical radiation of phytoplankton chlorophyll fluorescence from the aqueous solution, equipped with an optical filter in the spectrum suppressing the spectrum optical sources, and an optical screen that excludes direct and specular radiation from optical sources, as well as a cover of the measuring compartment to exclude the ingress of external illumination into the measuring unit, which in total allows increasing the sensitivity when measuring low concentrations of Chl-A fluorescence in an aqueous medium, as in vivo form, and fixed in acetone.

The controller unit synchronizes the operation of a portable fluorimeter, signal processing, amplification, filtering and digitization of received optical signals, calculates the results of measuring the fluorescence intensity of phytoplankton chlorophyll and the intensity of radiation scattered in an aqueous solution, taking into account the instability of the amplitude of the optical source intensity, as well as displaying information on the display and sending / receiving data to the units of receiving / transmitting wired / wireless connection with external devices.

Ensuring the start of the measurement process is carried out both through the transmit / receive units (wired / wireless) using software, and through the controls that provide the ability to establish wireless access and select the device functions (type of fluorescence measurement).

In this case, portability means the fact that a portable device that performs the task of measuring the concentration of Chl-A in an aqueous solution directly sampled in the investigated place has a compact size, a sufficiently energy-intensive battery for uninterrupted operation of the device, as well as built-in interfaces for providing connection with other devices. Specifically:

- internal rechargeable battery (voltage 3.6 ± 0.4 V) with the ability to receive energy through the USB-port (voltage 5 ± 0.4 V) from the mains, from a portable rechargeable battery of the "Powerbang" type or from a personal computer (PC);

- built-in interfaces USB-port, Bluetooth for data transfer, software updates, etc .;

- compact, ergonomic body that can fit in one hand;

- the cuvette with the substance to be measured is placed in the measuring compartment, which is completely protected from extraneous light sources by the closing cover of the measuring compartment;

The utility model is illustrated by drawing and projection figures.

FIG. 1 - Portable fluorometer, side view.

Fig 2 is a 3D projection of a portable fluorometer.

The portable fluorometer contains (Fig. 1) an ergonomic plastic case 1, a unit for receiving / transmitting data via a USB port (in particular with a microUSB connector) and a charging controller 2 for an internal rechargeable battery 3, a wireless receiving / transmitting data module 4, a fluorometer control unit 5 , control elements 6, controller unit with a measuring signal converter with an LCD display 7, measuring unit 8, fixing the cover of the measuring compartment with a soft opening / closing mechanism 9, measuring compartment cover 10, measuring compartment with a cuvette 11, locking mechanism for measuring compartment cover with button 12.

A portable fluorometer, when used as part of a PC, is connected via a USB port (microUSB connector) located on the data transfer unit 2, and provides connection to the PC and charging the internal rechargeable battery 3, while the necessary information about the charging process 3, as well as information about the wired method of connection is displayed on the LCD display of the controller unit 7, which processes the corresponding information from the data transmission unit 2. With a wireless connection, communication is established through the wireless data transmission / reception module 4, while the data transmission unit with a USB port and an internal charge / discharge controller rechargeable battery 2 which switches to the device power mode from the internal rechargeable battery 3. Information about the wireless connection and the degree of discharge of the internal rechargeable battery 3 is also displayed on the LCD display of the controller unit 7, which processes the corresponding information from units 2, 3.

To carry out the measurement, it is required to press the button of the fixing mechanism 12 of the cover of the measuring compartment 10, and thereby start its smooth opening thanks to the mechanism located in its mount 9. The cuvette with the test liquid is placed in the measuring compartment 11, after which the cover of the measuring compartment 10 is closed for excluding external light during the measurement, and pressing one of the control buttons 6 to start the measurement process. The control buttons close the contacts of the control unit 5, which sends a corresponding signal to the controller unit to start the measuring signal to the LEDs of the measuring unit 8, followed by the reception of the measured signal from the photodiodes of unit 8. The received signal is processed by the controller unit 7 with subsequent output to the LCD display and transmission to transmit / receive units 2, 4 depending on the transmission method (wired / wireless). Ensuring the start of the measurement process can be done through the transmit / receive units 2, 4 (wired / wireless) using software. Controls 6 also provide the ability to establish wireless access and select instrument functions (type of fluorescence measurement).

Information sources:

1. RU 124393 U1, IPC G01N 21/01, 25.05.2012.

2. RU 2308708 C2, IPC G01N 21/64, 22.11.2005.

3. RU 177930 U1, IPC G01N 21/64, 15.12.2016.

4. RU 108844 U1, IPC G01N 21/64, 05.04.2011.

5. Photosynthesis YIELD ANALYZER MINI-PAM. Portable Chlorophyll Fluorometer // Handbook of Operation. 2.115 / 04.96 2. Edition: August 1999. © Heinz Walz GmbH. Available at URL: https://www.walz.com/downloads/manuals/mini-pam-II/MINIP_1EB.pdf.

6. RU 2375701 C1, IPC G01N 21/64, 23.10.2008.

7. US 20120015445 A1, G01N 21/64 G06F 19/00, 19.01.2012.

8. Alexandrov S.V. Influence of "blooming" of blue-green algae on the ecological state of the Curonian Lagoon // Water: chemistry and ecology. - 2009. - No. 4. - from. 2-6.

9. Karabashev G.S. Fluorescence in the ocean. L .: Gidrometeoizdat, 1987.199 p.

10. Arar E.J., Collins G.B. In Vitro Determination of Chlorophyll a and Pheophytin a in Marine and Freshwater Algae by Fluorescence US EPA Method 445.0 // Methods for the Determination of Chemical Substances in Marine and Estuarine Environmental Matrices, 1997. P. 132 - 154.

11. Yentsch, C.S., Menzel D.W. A method for the determination of phytoplankton chlorophyll and pheophytin by fluorescence // Deep Sea Res., 1963. Vol. 10.P. 221-231.

12. GOST 17.1.4.02-90 Water. Method of spectrophotometric determination of chlorophyll - A.

13. Povazhny V.V. Fluorimeter based on high-power LEDs to determine the concentration of chlorophyll "A" // Oceanology. 2014. T. 54. No. 3. P. 419.

Claims (1)

Portable fluorimeter containing an ergonomic small-sized body, a data reception / transmission unit via a USB port that also provides battery charging, an internal rechargeable battery, a data transmission / reception unit via a wireless connection, a control unit with controls, a controller unit with an LCD display module , a measuring unit, as well as a measuring compartment for the location of the measuring cuvette, characterized in that the measuring unit contains one or more pulsed optical sources directed to the measuring cuvette with the investigated aqueous solution to excite vital phytoplankton fluorescence or fixed in acetone, and a photodetector that receives from aqueous solution, the optical radiation of phytoplankton chlorophyll fluorescence, equipped with an optical filter that suppresses radiation in the spectrum band of optical sources, and an optical screen that excludes direct and specular radiation from optical sources, while measuring The separate compartment of the instrument, in which the cuvette with the measured substance is placed, is equipped with a cover of the measuring compartment, which completely protects the measuring unit from extraneous light sources.

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