SMuK 2023 – scientific programme

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UP: Fachverband Umweltphysik

UP 5: Measurement Techniques and Simulations

UP 5.1: Talk

Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 16:00–16:15, MOL/0213

Concept of a Raman-based microfluidic system for measuring trace substances in the field of wastewater treatment — •Simon Jansen, Jan Berk, Sebastian Mammitzsch, and Martin Reufer — Hochschule Ruhr West, Institut Naturwissenschaften

In wastewater treatment plants, sewage is cleaned in various purification stages. But not all impurities are removed in this process. In particular, easily water-soluble substances and those that are difficult to biodegrade, such as pharmaceutical residues, are present in low but nevertheless environmentally harmful concentrations (∼µ g/l). To reduce the residual amount of these substances, an additional (fourth) purification stage is currently implemented in the wastewater treatment plants. The efficiency of this purification stage can be determined and controlled on the basis of the so-called lead substances with classical analytical methods like gas chromatography-mass spectrometry or indirectly by proof of a sum parameter. We demonstrate a measurement concept suitable for an inline approach, based on a microfluidic system. This concept provides for a concentration of the lead substances by specific binding to surface-activated magnetic beads and a subsequent determination of the concentration. The approach for concentration measurement is based on Raman spectroscopy, due to the distinguishable fingerprint of the different trace elements. This measurement concept is advantageous because the purification process will be monitored and optimised based on the concentration of the lead substances. First results of the particle concentration in the microfluidic system and the subsequent analysis are presented.