Detecting NO^--₃ concentration in nitrate solutions using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy

Abstract

In this paper, we employed terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) to investigate the nitrate () concentration in four types of nitrate solution (sodium nitrate, aluminum nitrate, calcium nitrate and magnesium nitrate). Their absorption coefficient and refractive index were calculated in 0.2–2.5 THz, and a logarithmic relationship was observed between NO^-₃ concentrations and selected optical parameters regardless of the kinds of nitrate solution. Partial least square (PLS) model was built between THz-TDS and NO^-₃ concentration. The correlation coefficient of PLS model was calculated. The results make the quantitative analysis of NO^-₃ concentration possible by THz-TDS and indicate the bright future in practical application.

Keywords

terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) / nitrate / solution

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Key Basic Research Program of China (No. 2014CB744302), the Specially Funded Program on National Key Scientific Instruments and Equipment Development (No. 2012YQ140005), the Beijing National Science Foundation (No. 4122064), and the Science Foundation of the China University of Petroleum (Beijing).

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg