A FIBEROPTIC COPPER SENSOR WITH DEAE SEPHADEX AS A SUBSTRATE

A fiber-optic sensor for copper based on reflection has been developed . It is prepared by immobilizing Nitroso-R salt on the DEAE Sephadex, the change of the reflected intensity at 520nm is proportional. to the concentration of copper. The characteristics of the sensor have been studied by using the equilibrium and kinetics method. Because DEAE Sep hadex is a colourless and transparent gel containing diethylamine gluc an with low mass transfer resistance in water, the sensor reachs 90% o f steady-static in 5 seconds; the sensor has no optical influence owin g to no absorption at all in the visible region; the complex decompose s in 0.1 mol . dm(-3) HCl, so the sensor has good sensitivity as well as good reversibility and has been successfully applied to the determi nation of copper ion in natural water and waste water.