A surface photovoltage (SPV) device, which is sensitive to surface pH. was
applied to the fabrication of an organic pollution sensor. Trichosporon cut
aneum, designated for use as a biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) sensor by th
e Japanese Industrial Standard, was employed as the immobilized biocatalyst
. A flow cell of the system consists of an SPV device and a microbial membr
ane immobilized with T. cutaneum between membrane filters. The pH measureme
nt by the SPV device and fabrication of SPV-based sensor is discussed and c
haracterized by comparison with the 5 day BOD test (BOD5) and sensors used
in the measurement of BOD (BODs). Response time was 25 min, and a microbial
membrane can be used more than 14 weeks. Though there is a different subst
rate specificity, the system was applicable to BOD measurement of some real
waste water and shows good agreement with BODS and BOD5. (C) 1998 Elsevier
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