Spectrophotometric system and method for wireless water quality management of aquaculture basin
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water quality monitoring systems in aquaculture are expensive, require frequent maintenance, provide low accuracy, and suffer from cross-reactions of indicator reagents in solid form, lacking real-time data recording and historical traceability.
Innovation Solution
A wireless spectrophotometric system with preloaded, barcoded cuvettes containing separate reagent tablets and a smartphone application for real-time analysis, connected via 3G, 4G, 5G, or Bluetooth, providing accurate water quality data and e-commerce capabilities for remedial actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If voltametric sensors, polarographic sensors, optical sensors, and ion selective sensors are used to monitor nitrogen compounds, then real-time monitoring capability is improved, but device cost and maintenance requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable test strips impregnated with colorimetric reagents that react with nitrogen compounds to produce color changes. These single-use strips eliminate the need for expensive, complex electronic sensors requiring calibration and maintenance. Each strip contains pre-measured reagents and provides a one-time measurement, making the system affordable and easy to deploy without technical expertise.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces electronic sensing mechanisms with chemical colorimetric reactions. Instead of using voltametric or optical sensors that require power sources, signal processing, and calibration, the system uses simple color changes visible to the human eye or captureable by basic imaging devices. This substitution dramatically reduces device complexity and cost while maintaining monitoring functionality.
2Ease of manufacture
If colorimetry with visual estimation is used to determine nitrogen compound concentration, then equipment cost is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into a single system: the mobile device serves as camera, spectrophotometer, data processor, and communication device. The test strips are designed to work with standard smartphone cameras, eliminating the need for specialized expensive equipment. This multi-functionality maintains low cost while improving precision through digital image analysis and spectral processing capabilities of the mobile device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the mobile device's camera to capture an optical copy of the colorimetric reaction on the test strip. This digital copy is then processed through spectral analysis algorithms to determine concentration, replacing direct visual estimation by the human eye. The copying approach allows for objective, repeatable measurements that can be digitally stored and analyzed, significantly improving precision over subjective visual comparison.
3Ease of operation
If multiple solid reagent tablets are placed in the same cuvette for spectrophotometric testing, then ease of operation is improved, but cross-reactions between reagents occur affecting accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the reagent system into separate functional zones on a single test strip. Each reagent is applied to a specific region of the strip, and corresponding sample application zones ensure that samples contact only the intended reagents. This spatial segmentation prevents cross-reactions between different reagents while maintaining the convenience of a single integrated testing device. The strip design guides sample flow to appropriate reaction zones, ensuring accurate measurements without reagent interference.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables convenient, accurate, and real-time water quality monitoring with historical data recording, facilitating aquaculture traceability and automated recommendations for improving water quality and harvest conditions.
Implementation Method 1
Spectrophotometers have been used to record the absorbance of an aqueous solution at wavelengths. The concentration of nitrogen compounds or other contaminants in the water samples of aquaculture basins are determined by comparison with data of the absorbances of the water solutions containing known concentration of nitrogen or other compounds of interest.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a spectrophotometric system and method for measuring the concentration of discrete water-soluble compounds or minerals in the water of a live aquaculture basin. The system comprises a portable wireless spectrophotometer with an optical code reader for automatic identification of water sample cuvettes. The cuvettes bear an optical code identifier and are preloaded with at least one solid color indicating reagent dry tablet. The cuvettes are internally sized and shaped for a smaller tablet type to fall to the bottom and a larger tablet type not to not fall to the bottom and vertically rest at an intermediate height within the cuvette interior thereby creating vertical separation between the tablet types and avoiding cross-reactions or degradation while in storage or transport. The system can also include a mobile application for displaying the spectra results and for providing recommendations or e-commerce purchase means for water quality improvement.