Sensor system

Claim 1

A method of measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide in a medium by determining the water content in a pH-independent sensor system comprising an optical fiber having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end having attached thereto a fluorescence indicator embedded in a carrier matrix with a predetermined water content, said carrier matrix containing a miscible mixture of water and non-aqueous solvent in predetermined proportions and being separated from said medium by a gas-permeable, water-impermeable diffusion membrane, said indicator, when excited by excitation radiation of a predetermined wavelength λo, emitting fluorescent emission at a wavelength λ w in the presence of water and at a wavelength λ s in the presence of said non-aqueous solvent, the intensity of each emission being independent upon the ratio of water to non-aqueous solvent present in the system such that the ratio of the intensities of emitted radiation of wavelengths λ w and λ s is therefore proportional to the amount of water present and diffusion of carbon dioxide through said gas-permeable membrane and subsequent reaction with water to deplete the water content of the system induces a change in the intensities of said emissions, which method comprises transmitting through said optical fiber, from a source adjacent to its proximal end, excitation radiation of said predetermined wavelength λ o , and measuring the ratio of the intensities of the emitted radiation of wavelengths λ w and λ s , thereby obtaining a determination of the water content and calculating therefrom the carbon dioxide concentration in the surrounding medium.

Claim 2

A method of measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide in a medium by determining the water content in a pH-independent sensor system comprising an optical fiber having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end having attached thereto a fluorescence indicator embedded in a carrier matrix with a predetermined water content, said carrier matrix containing a miscible mixture of water and non-aqueous solvent in predetermined proportions and being separated from said medium by a gas-permeable, water-impermeable diffusion membrane, said indicator, when excited by excitation radiation of a predetermined wavelength λo, emitting fluorescent emission at a wavelength λ w in the presence of water and at a wavelength λ s in the presence of said non-aqueous solvent, the intensity of each emission being independent upon the ratio of water to non-aqueous solvent present in the system such that the ratio of the intensities of emitted radiation of wavelengths λ w and λ s is therefore proportional to the amount of water present and diffusion of carbon dioxide through said gas-permeable membrane and subsequent reaction with water to deplete the water content of the system induces a change in the intensities of said emissions, which method comprises transmitting through said optical fiber, from a source adjacent to its proximal end, excitation radiation of said predetermined wavelength λ o , and measuring the ratio of the intensities of the emitted radiation of wavelengths λ w and λ s , thereby obtaining a determination of the water content and calculating therefrom the carbon dioxide concentration in the surrounding medium.