VISUAL, CONTINUOUS AND SIMULTANEOUS MEASUREMENT OF SOLUTION AMMONIA AND HYDROGEN ION CONCENTRATION
First Claim
1. A combination pH and ammonia measuring device for simultaneous, continuous measurement of solution pH and ammonia, the combination comprising:
- a submersible member, or a plurality of spatially proximate, coordinately-submersible members, suitable to be at least partially submersible in a solution;
at least one submersible ammonia-sensing portion integral with or attached to the submersible member or to one or more of the proximate submersible members, the at least one ammonia-sensing portion having at least one stable detection means suitable to provide for a continuous visual indicator of solution ammonia concentration;
at least one submersible pH-sensing portion integral with or attached to the submersible member or to one or more of the proximate submersible members, the at least one pH-sensing portion having at least one stable detection means suitable to provide for a continuous visual indicator of solution pH;
a visual ammonia indicator comparison component, comparable with the at least one continuous visual indicator of the at least one ammonia-sensing portion to provide for standardized quantitative determination of solution ammonia concentration; and
a visual pH indicator comparison component, comparable with the at least one continuous visual indicator of the at least one pH-sensing portion for standardized quantitative determination of solution pH, wherein the combination is suitable to provide for simultaneous, continuous measurement of solution pH and ammonia.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Particular aspects provide novel devices and methods for accurately measuring total ammonia (NH3 plus NH4+) in a solution (e.g., freshwater and saltwater) by spatially proximate, simultaneous and continuous quantitative measurement of solution pH and ammonia. The devices overcome prior art inaccuracies relating to non-homogeneous sampling, and to spatial, temporal and thermal sampling discontinuities. Particular embodiments provide a combination pH and ammonia measuring device, comprising: a submersible member; a submersible non-bleeding ammonia-sensing portion attached to the submersible member and suitable to provide for a continuous visual indicator of solution ammonia concentration; a submersible non-bleeding pH-sensing portion attached to the submersible member and suitable to provide for a continuous visual indicator of solution pH; visual ammonia and pH indicator comparison means suitable for comparative quantitative determination of solution ammonia concentration and pH. Additional aspects provide novel ultra-sensitive devices and methods using same for measuring ammonia in air or solution.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. A combination pH and ammonia measuring device for simultaneous, continuous measurement of solution pH and ammonia, the combination comprising:
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a submersible member, or a plurality of spatially proximate, coordinately-submersible members, suitable to be at least partially submersible in a solution;
at least one submersible ammonia-sensing portion integral with or attached to the submersible member or to one or more of the proximate submersible members, the at least one ammonia-sensing portion having at least one stable detection means suitable to provide for a continuous visual indicator of solution ammonia concentration;
at least one submersible pH-sensing portion integral with or attached to the submersible member or to one or more of the proximate submersible members, the at least one pH-sensing portion having at least one stable detection means suitable to provide for a continuous visual indicator of solution pH;
a visual ammonia indicator comparison component, comparable with the at least one continuous visual indicator of the at least one ammonia-sensing portion to provide for standardized quantitative determination of solution ammonia concentration; and
a visual pH indicator comparison component, comparable with the at least one continuous visual indicator of the at least one pH-sensing portion for standardized quantitative determination of solution pH, wherein the combination is suitable to provide for simultaneous, continuous measurement of solution pH and ammonia. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 57, 58)
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16. A combination pH and ammonia measuring device for simultaneous, continuous measurement of solution pH and ammonia, the combination comprising:
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an attachment base member;
a submersible member, or a plurality of spatially proximate, coordinately-submersible members, reversibly attachable to the attachment base member, and suitable to be at least partially submersible in a solution;
at least one submersible ammonia-sensing portion integral with or attached to the submersible member or to one or more of the proximate submersible members, the at least one ammonia-sensing portion having at least one stable detection means suitable to provide for a continuous visual indicator of solution ammonia concentration;
at least one submersible pH-sensing portion integral with or attached to the submersible member or to one or more of the proximate submersible members, the at least one pH-sensing portion having at least one stable detection means suitable to provide for a continuous visual indicator of solution pH;
a visual ammonia indicator comparison component, comparable with the at least one continuous visual indicator of the at least one ammonia-sensing portion to provide for standardized quantitative determination of solution ammonia concentration; and
a visual pH indicator comparison component, comparable with the at least one continuous visual indicator of the at least one pH-sensing portion to provide for standardized quantitative determination of solution pH, wherein the combination is suitable to provide for simultaneous, continuous measurement of solution pH and ammonia. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 38)
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36. A method for determining the total ammonia concentration in a solution, comprising:
- submersing, in a solution, a combination pH and ammonia measuring device for simultaneous, continuous quantitative measurement of solution pH and ammonia; and
quantitatively determining total ammonia (NH3 plus NH4+), based on at least one visual indicator of solution ammonia concentration and at least one visual indicator of solution pH.
- submersing, in a solution, a combination pH and ammonia measuring device for simultaneous, continuous quantitative measurement of solution pH and ammonia; and
- 39. An ammonia detection device, comprising porous matrix polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) having an ammonia-sensitive immobilized dye, the immobilized dye suitable to provide for a calorimetric determination of ammonia level, and wherein the detectible range of ammonia comprises a range of about 0.005 to about 0.1 ppm.
- 54. A pH or ammonia measuring device, or a combination pH and ammonia measuring device, comprising at least one main body member having face and side surfaces, the member comprising at least one ammonia sensing portion and at least one pH sensing portion, wherein at least one of the ammonia sensing and pH sensing portions is suitably configured and disposed to extend sufficiently horizontally around at least one of the side surfaces, or a portion thereof, of the main body member sensor so that a side view of at least one of the ammonia sensing and pH sensing portions by a user is operatively sufficient to provide for at least one of ammonia and pH sensor input to the user.
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56. A pH or ammonia measuring device, or a combination pH and ammonia measuring device, comprising at least one of a light-sensitive sensor dye and ink;
- and at least one light blocking element to reduce or preclude degrading or bleaching of the sensor dye or ink.
Specification