AI Article Synopsis
- - Nitrous oxide (NO) is a significant greenhouse gas, and a new electrochemical sensor has been developed to accurately measure its concentrations in water at very low levels, specifically in the nanomolar range (2 nM NO)
- - The sensor operates using a front guard cathode that temporarily blocks NO from reaching the main (measuring) cathode, creating a distinctive signal that remains stable against background current fluctuations
- - The effectiveness of the sensor was demonstrated in a real-world application, where it successfully measured NO levels at depths of up to 120 meters in the oxygen minimum zone of the Eastern Tropical North Pacific Ocean
Article Abstract
Nitrous oxide is an important greenhouse gas and there is a need for sensitive techniques to study its distribution in the environment at concentrations near equilibrium with the atmosphere (9.6 nM in water at 20 °C). Here we present an electrochemical sensor that can quantify NO in the nanomolar range. The sensor principle relies on a front guard cathode placed in front of the measuring cathode. This cathode is used to periodically block the flux of NO towards the measuring cathode, thereby creating an amplitude in the signal. This signal amplitude is unaffected by drift in the baseline current and can be read at very high resolution, resulting in a sensitivity of 2 nM NO for newly constructed sensors. Interference from oxygen is prevented by placing the front guard cathode in oxygen-consuming electrolyte. The sensor was field tested by measuring an NO profile to a depth of 120 m in the oxygen minimum zone of the Eastern Tropical North Pacific Ocean (ETNP) off the coast of Mexico.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2019.12.019 | DOI Listing |
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