Development of an optical hydrogen sulphide sensor

A hydrogen sulphide (H2S)-sensitive optode film has been fabricated by immobilising tetraoctylammonium fluorescein mercury(II) acetate (TOFMA) and tri-n-butyl phosphate in a poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) matrix. The optode film, coated on an overhead transparency film, was employed as a sensing device for fluorimetric detection of H2S. The fluorescence intensity monitored at 553 nm (excitation at 503 nm) increased with increasing H2S concentrations. The optode film showed a good, linear and reversible response to H2S from 0 to 15 ppm (v/v). It was optically stable and the reproducible response of the film on exposure to 10 ppm (v/v) H2S was extremely good. There was no sign of degradation after 8 h of continuous use. The response to H2S levelled off at about 27.5 ppm The response and recovery times of the optical H2S sensor were fast and less than 2 and 5 s, respectively. An optically-based sensor for H2S determination was successfully developed. It was anticipated that the system could be used to monitor H2S with a concentration range of 0–25 ppm (v/v) with satisfactory results. A proposed mechanism for the detection of H2S by the optode films is described.