I2MTC 2008 - IEEE International Instrumentation and

Measurement Technology Conference

Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada, May 12-15, 2008

LED-Based Sensing System Control for Photocatalytic Biomedical Gas Purification

Aime Lay-Ekuakillel, Amerigo Trotta2, Giuseppe Vendramin'
'Dipartimento d'Ingegneria dell'Innovazione, University of Lecce
Via Monteroni, 73 100 Lecce (Le), Italy
Phone: +39-0832-297207/268, Fax: +39-0832-325004, Email: aime.lay.ekuakillegunile.it, giuseppe.vendramingunile.it
2Dipartimento di Elettrotecnica ed Elettronica, Polytechnic of Bari
Via OrabonaA, 70100 Bari (Ba), Italy

Abstract - An efficient and portable photoacoustic multi-gas range of the parameters affecting exposure to anaesthetic
monitor for biomedical application is needed in hospital in order to gases [5], air monitoring should be preferred to other methods
protect the health of workers, patients and, somewhat, visitors. If of assessing exposure in the workplace. The most commonly
highest precision is not required, especially for continuous employed model for describing the photoacoustic effect in
monitoring of anaesthetic gases, a LED (light emitting diode) based condensed samples was developed in the 1 970s by
- detecting system can be employed in order to estimate an attention

threshold level of gas. But when a gas purification facility is used in Rosencwaig and Gersho [6]. Applying Beer's Law with
order to exhaust biomedical gas present in a surgery room, it can be radiation intensity Io and optical absorption coefficient,:
suitable to employ a different sensing technology to reduce costs
and to increase efficiency, since the quality and the quantity ofgases dI= -3Idx > I=Ioe-X (1)
decrease. a New affordable instrumentation based on LED
technology is proposed in the present research. The idea behind this Suppose the incident radiation is modulated with frequency
work is to control LED sources by a cheaper system in other to get w. Then the incident intensity is given by:
acceptable results that are valid for an interesting range of
frequencies. Particular care has been given to conditioning
subsystem because of mixing RGB colours. I'= -I(1-cos t) (2)
2
Keywords - Spectroscopy, signal control, Light Emission Diodes, The sample and the gas must each satisfy the heat-diffusion
conditioning, biomedical sensors. equation, which for the case of the sample is given by:

I. INTRODUCTION ax2T aIT k07,iI 1 aT Io (3)

(I CosCa~)
_, -A-
f

aX 2 a at k e

The main factors of environmental pollution or able to

determine eventual difficulties in working in a surgery room where ui is the probability of radiationless transition, and
can be, approximately, summarized as follows: chemical thermal diffusivity a k
pollution, physical pollution, microbiological pollution, PC
microclimatic conditions and brightness. Chemical pollution where k is thermal conductivity of the sample, p is the
[1], the topic faced in this paper, is to be re-conducted, in density, and c is the specific heat. Rosencwaig and Gersho
particular, to anaesthetic gases used in surgery room. Other determined the following equation for temperature in the
pollutants cannot be underestimated whether particular surrounding medium [7] as a function of both position and
chemical elements are used, e.g. resins for orthopaedic or time:
dental applications, etc... A further element to be taken into
account is the concentration of CO2 that can be considered as
an indirect index of environmental pollution [2]. National
Tac (x, t) = e-ax [61 cos(OX + ax) - 62 sin(OX + ax)] (4)
and european legislations often encompass the american
NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and where the complex temperature amplitude 0 = 01 + iO2, and
Health) norms and maximum concentrations; for instance, the thermal diffusion coefficient a .
N20=25 ppm for general surgery rooms, N20=50 ppm for
dental surgery rooms, and halogenated gases=2 ppm as
ceiling value. Consequently, amid growing concerns [3], a
multi-gas monitor, in order to assess the values of II. LED TECHNOLOGY FOR CHIEMICAL ELEMENT
concentrations is a key issue for health protection [4]. DETECTION
Despite of sophisticated existing instrumentations, this
research aims to demonstrate the design of an experimental A brief and salient literature on specific LED-based
photoacoustic chamber capable of carrying out speedy applications is described in the present paragraph. By far, the
measurements in less time with good precision and based on majority of LED applications encompass absorbance
LED technology as source light. Considering the variation measurements in flow-through cells. Hauser and Chiang are

1-4244-1541-1/08/$25.00 C 2008 IEEE

among the most active in the use of LEDs as spectroscopic of UV-irradiation complete debacterization is an added value
sources and were the first to report the use of a blue LED as a to the mineralization technology.
spectroscopic source as these devices first became available
[10]. Early blue LEDs were not particularly bright and efforts
were especially made to adapt or even develop chemistry
such that yellow to red LEDs, traditionally, the brighter
emitters, could be used [11]. Benson and Worsfold leads
another group active in the use of LEDs and has described
high reliability flow-based measurement systems for
dissolved Fe and monomeric Al [12]. LED-based detectors
are smaller, less expensive, and provide performance as good
as any commercial alternative. Galanis and Dasgupta [13]
describe a measurement system for ppm levels of strong base
in a polyol process stream where the detection cell needs to
be maintained at 110 °C. The light output and lifetime of
LEDs decrease greatly with increasing temperature; light had
to be brought in this case to the cell located in an oven from a HaO
remote LED with silica fibers. The stability and reliability of
Fig. 1 Process of photocatalysts
LEDs have led to field and process analytical chemistry
applications. Higuchi et al. [14] reported on a field
measurement device for nitrogen oxides based on the Griess-
Saltzman (GS) reaction. Worsfold and co-workers have used
the above ammonia measurement strategy for process
monitoring as well [15] and Hauser et al. have reported on a
process monitor for nickel in ammoniacal media that uses a
near infrared (NIR) LED as a source [16]. Tan et al. [17]
were among the first to describe a multi-wavelength
spectrometer containing multiple LEDs and phototransistors
controlled by an 8031 microprocessor. The system was set up
to probe multiple flow cells at a time rather than probe the
same volume. Carroll et al. [18] described a microprocessor
controlled LED-based detector which also provided accurate
measurements of the time interval between doublet peaks

III. PROPOSED LED.BASED SENSING SYSTEM plex chassis Michelsbointerferomte frtaIR measures

The removal of organic contaminants in air for air Fig.2 Three-D view of instrument
conditioning plants, especially in surgery rooms, has been the
topic of major and continuing emphasis over the last decade.
Among the existing technologies, photocatalytic processes,
based on UV illumination in concert with anatase titanium
dioxide and molecular oxygen can carry out the complete
oxidation of organic pollutants to harmless carbon dioxide
and water. Within these technologies, only effective
immobilization of TiO2, as has been discovered and used by
different research groups, is able to undertake high yield
performances.
The photoreactor can be a cylindrical vessel (fig. 1), through
which a continuous flow of contaminated air reacts at the
surface of inorganic or polymeric photocatalytic membranes,
where reactive hydroxyl radicals are produced by irradiation.
These radicals are able to mineralize organic contaminants of
air completely, bypassing all negative drawbacks given by
the use of chemical adsorbents. Actually, the use of active Fig.3 Partial view of the mounted system
carbon, which is at present the most used technology, favours
biological contamination of the treated air, while, by the use
Photoacoustic instrumentation might not be suitable for
detection anaesthetic gases after air purification of
photocatalytic mechanism [18]. Instead, a new affordable
instrumentation based on spectrometry using RGB led is very
interesting because its sensing system is very sensitive. It
allows to avoid cases of intoxication in side surgery rooms. Ts
So, the new instrument is based on Lambert-Beer's law as it :.-
easy to discover in fig. 3 and fig.4. A power driving system S.,
-ER
D F
(fig.5), a RGB system (fig.6) and a board with instrument
control has been implemented and mounted (fig.7) to govern
all the instrument. Some tests have been carried out in order
to characterize the control system by determining SNR and
multiple gain

Fig.5 Final control system

G. 11 B.

~
e ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~RO5~~~~HAf
~ L EDHEE

Fig.4 Power driving system

The new instrumentation, that is a spectrometer, is partially Fig.6 Implemented RGB control panel
.

aforedescribed. It is based on lamber-Beer's law. The current

research has been replacing traditional laser with RGB LEDs
to be controlled in magnitude and timing by using either
PWM technique driven in current or continuously analog
modality. RGB Leds to be used are: red (627 nm), green
(530 nm), blu (470 nm); to extend the analysis other leds will
be used such as: UV (410 nm), JR (919 nm).
The idea is to use a microcontroller (PIC) that concerns
interfacing a computer and then interprets its instructions.
Through digital PIC output (with an appropriate current
amplification) it will be possible to control LED by means of
PWM technique. A control circuit will be realized for the
choice of wavelength, hence color, that will be more precise.
Consequently it is necessary to act, simultaneously, on
current levels in analog way and on switch-on times via
PWM technique. An ad hoc drive is developed that can
works at high current level (about 1.4-1,5A), since common
drivers are limited by a maximum current of 500-600 mA. Fig.7 Implemented
I I,
system contro1 panel
---------1
 -,anninnaUrrtb,er V,SNP, [4] R. Nilsson, et al, Health risks and occupational exposure to volatile
35 anaesthetics - a review with a systematic approach, J. Clin Nurs
(2005), Feb, 14(2), 173-86.
3 [5] ISO 14644-8:2006 Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments -
25
Part 8: Classification of airborne molecular contamination (2006).
[6] A. Rosencwaig, Photoacoustics and Photoacoustic Spectroscopy. John
2 Wiley & Sons, New York, 1980. p. 12.
[7] E., Luischer, Photoacoustic Effect in Condensed Matter-Historical
15 Development in E., Luischer, et al., eds. Photoacoustic Effect:
OQ g Principles and Applications. Braunschweig: Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn,
1984. p. 1.
0*5L [8] P., Hess, and M., Fiedler, Laser Excitation of Acoustic Modes in
Cylindrical and Spherical Resonators: Theory and Applications in
-1 -ess, Peter, ed. Topics in Current Physics: Photoacoustic,
Photothermal and Photochemical Processes in Gases. Berlin
0s5 Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, 1989. p. 85.
[9] M.W., Sigrist, et al., "Atmospheric and Exhaust Air Monitoring by Laser
Photoacoustic Spectroscopy" in Hess, Peter, ed. p. 173.
-1 k5L- [10] P.C. Hauser, D.W.L. Chiang, A photometric detector based on a blue
0 £
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 light-emitting diode, Talanta 40 (1993) 1193-1200.
[11] H.-K. Chung, P.K. Dasgupta, J.N. Marx, Spectrophotometric
-1 determination of H[2]0[2] with 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic
Fig.8 SNR evaluation acid and 4-aminoantipyrine with hematin as catalyst, Talanta 40
(1993) 1193-1200.
[12] R.L. Benson, P.J. Worsfold, A flow-injection approach to the
continuous monitoring of residual coagulants (aluminium and iron)
in potable and treated waters, Sci. Total Environ. 135 (1993) 17-25.
2 [13] S. Galanis, P.K. Dasgupta, Measurement of parts per million levels of
potassium hydroxide in polyether polyol streams, Anal. Chim. Acta 429
(2001) 101-110.
1 [14] K. Higuchi, A. Inoue,analysis
H. Tamanouchi, T. Hattori, S. Motomizu, Bunseki
Kagaku, On-site for nitrogen oxides using a newly dveloped
ten:stv portable flow injection analyzer the Japan Society for Analytical
0 Chemistry, (1999).
[15] K.N. Andrew, P.J. Worsfold, M. Comber, On-line flow injection
monitoring of ammonia in industrial liquid effluents, Anal. Chim. Acta
-1 314 (1995) 33-43.
[16] P.C. Hauser, T.W.T. Rupasinghe, C.C. Lucas, A. McClure, Process
Monitor for an Ammonical Nickel Solution employing an Infrared
-2 Light- Emitting Diode and a Log-Ratio Amplifier, Analyst 120
(1995) 2635-38.
[17] I. Yong Eom, Application of Light Emitting Diodes as Solid State Light
_3
Sources in Analytical Chemistry, a Dissertation in Chemistry, Texas
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Tech University, 2005
[18] A. Lay-Ekuakille, G. Vendramin, A. Trotta, Sensor Control Unit Design
Fig.9 Multiplex gain assessment for a Photoacoustic Indoor Multi-Gas Monitor, Proceedings of 15th
IMEKO TC4 Symposium, Septemberl9-21, 2001, Iasi, Romania.
IV. CONCLUSIONS [19] A. Lay-Ekuakille, et al, Fourier Transform - Infrared
Spectrophotometer for Air Monitoring, 12th IMEKO TC4 International
Symposium, September 25-27, 2002, Zagreb, Croatia
A control of a new affordable instrumentation has been
I I

designed for environmental measurements, especially for

gas. That is of the rare instrumentation using LED as sources
instead of laser. A control software based on Labview
environment has been implemented. The developed
instrumentation and its control are cheaper. They have been
developing in the Measurements and Instrumentation
laboratory in University of Salento. First results agree with
common scientific literature [19].

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[3] M. Imbriani, S. Ghittori, G. Pezzagno, The biological monitoring of
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