Arduino-based optical fiber chemical sensors for furfural detection

This work aims to demonstrate the capability of a low-cost experimental setup to monitor surface plasmon resonance (SPR) chemical sensors based on plastic optical fibers (POFs) and molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) in order to make ON/OFF sensor systems. The proposed experimental setup includes a red LED as a light source, POF-based sensor chips, photodiodes as receivers, and an Arduino board to acquire and process the data. In the first phase, optical tests were carried out via water/glycerine solutions, demonstrating comparable results in terms of the sensor's resolution concerning more expensive configurations based on spectral interrogation. Then, as a proof of concept, the plasmonic POF platform was combined with an MIP layer selective for the 2-furaldehyde (2-FAL) detection and tested through an ON/OFF binding test monitored via the proposed Arduino-based sensor system. The so-produced ON/OFF sensor system allowed monitoring of the 2-FAL within ten minutes, providing an efficient, cost-effective bio/chemical monitoring method.