Measuring wastewater quality using a sensor array: prospects for real-timemonitoring

The application of using a chemical sensor array to analyse the headspace g as generated from a sparged sample was evaluated. Wastewater samples were s parged with N-2 gas in a temperature controlled flow-cell, the headspace ga s was then supplied (using a temperature controlled transfer line) to the s ensor array for analysis by 12 polypyrrole sensors. Multivariate analysis o f the sensor array data (using principal component and multiple discriminan t analysis) showed that the different sample types (RO water, raw sewage an d final effluent) were separated into distinct clusters. These results demo nstrate that the sensor array analysis of an externally generated headspace gas can be used to monitor for changes in wastewater; quality and could pr ovide a simple non-invasive technique for real-time wastewater monitoring.