Sensing Technology for Rapid Detection of Phosphorus in Water: A Review

Purpose: Phosphorus is an essential element for water quality control. Excessive amounts of phosphorus causes algal bloom in water, which leads to eutrophication and a decline in water quality. It is necessary to maintain the optimum amount of phosphorus present. During the last decades, various studies have been conducted to determine phosphorus content in water. In this study, we present a comprehensive overview of colorimetric, electrochemical, fluorescence, microfluidic, and remote sensing technologies for the measurement of phosphorus in water, along with their working principles and limitations. Results: The colorimetric techniques determine the concentration of phosphorus through the use of colorgenerating reagents. This is specific to a single chemical species and inexpensive to use. The electrochemical techniques operate by using a reaction of the analyte of interest to generate an electrical signal that is proportional to the sample analyte concentration. They show a good linear output, good repeatability, and a high detection capacity. The fluorescence technique is a kind of spectroscopic analysis method. The particles in the sample are excited by irradiation at a specific wavelength, emitting radiation of a different wavelength. It is possible to use this for quantitative and qualitative analysis of the target analyte. The microfluidic techniques incorporate several features to control chemical reactions in a micro device of low sample volume and reagent consumption. They are cheap and rapid methods for the detection of phosphorus in water. The remote sensing technique analyzes the sample for the target analyte using an optical technique, but without direct contact. It can cover a wider area than the other techniques mentioned in this review. Conclusion: It is concluded that the sensing technologies reviewed in this study are promising for rapid detection of phosphorus in water. The measurement range and sensitivity of the sensors have been greatly improved recently.