Detection of an emerging contaminant in water by dielectric properties in microwave range

Abstract

The complex relative permittivity study of samples of liberdux® syrup dissolved in distilled–deionized water is presented. It should be mentioned that excess of this syrup as pharmaceutical residual in water is considered an emerging contaminant. The study covers liberdux^® concentrations from 0% v/v to 100% v/v, which were measured from 500 MHz to 20 GHz. For each sample, the parameters of the Havriliak–Negami model are presented in the range of measurement. Also, the uncertainty study was carried out to determine the sensitivity of the open coaxial probe and it was established that, for concentrations between 8% v/v and 100% v/v, it is possible to determine the concentration of liberdux^® in water by the dielectric constant and the loss factor. In addition, a linear relationship was found between the concentration of liberdux^® and the α parameter of the Havriliak–Negami model. The study of liberdux^® concentrations was also performed with a spectrophotometer and the Beer–Lambert equation. It was established that the spectrophotometer and the open coaxial probe can be used as complements to measure concentrations, the spectrophotometer being the instrument for measuring low concentrations by absorbance, and the open coaxial probe for high concentrations by microwave permittivity.

Keywords:

• Permittivity
• desloratadine
• sensor
• microwave

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank Conacyt for the support of the project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Edel-Serafin Hernandez-Gomez

Edel-Serafín Hernández-Gómez received the B. Sc. degree from the Technologic Institute of Minatitlan, Veracruz, Mexico in 2012. In 2014, he received the M. Sc. Degree from the National Institute of Optical Astrophysics and Electronics, Puebla, Mexico, where he is currently working toward the Ph.D. degree. His research interests include material characterization using microwaves and electromagnetic compatibility.

Jose-Luis Olvera-Cervantes

Jose-Luis Olvera-Cervantes received the B.Sc. degree in Mathematics and Physics from the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Mexico City, Mexico, and the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from the Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), Baja California, Mexico, in 2005 and 2008, respectively. He is currently a full professor in the Electronics Department at the Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE-Mexico). His research is focused on microwave systems, microwave imaging systems, microwaves for food applications, dielectric sensors, microwave devices, etc.

Alonso Corona-Chavez

Alonso Corona-Chavez received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Birmingham (UK) in 2001. From 2001 to 2004 he was with cryosystems (UK) as a Microwave Engineer. Since 2004 he is a researcher at the Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE-Mexico). He has been visiting professor at the University of California at Los Angeles, USA (2010), Queens University, Canada (2014) and the University of Guanajuato, Mexico (2016). His research is focused on microwave passive components and dielectric properties of materials.

Benito Corona-Vasquez

Benito Corona-Vazquez received the B.Sc. degree in Civil Engineering from Universidad de las Américas Puebla (MEX) in 1996, and the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA in 2001 and 2003, respectively. In research, its areas of interest are the development of alternative methodologies for the treatment of drinking and residual water in rural communities of Latin America, in addition to the understanding of the mechanisms involved in microbiological inactivation with chemical, physical and sequential disinfection.

Tejinder-Kaur Kataria

Tejinder-Kaur Kataria received the B.S. degree in electronics engineering from Punjab Technical University in 2003; the M.S. degree in electronic engineering in 2007, and the Ph.D. in electrical engineering in 2011, from Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE-Mexico). From 2011 to 2015 she was a lecturer at the University of Las Americas (Mexico). In 2015, she was a postdoctoral researcher at Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE-Mexico). From 2016 she is a professor at the University of Guanajuato (Mexico).

Maria-Elena Sosa-Morales

Maria-Elena Sosa-Morales obtained her B. S. degree from the University of Guanajuato, Mexico in 1996. Her M.S. degree from the University of the Americas, Mexico in 1999; and her Ph.D. degree from the Veracruz Intitute, Mexico in 2009. From 2009 to 2014 she was a professor at the University of the Americas, Mexico. Since 2014 she is a professor at the Food Engineering Department, DIVICA, University of Guanajuato, Mexico.