DEVELOPMENT OF LOW-COST OPTICAL SENSOR-BASED DEVICE FOR REAL-TIME MICROALGAE CONCENTRATION MEASUREMENT

Heriyanto Syafutra; Erus  Rustami; Stephanie  Claudia; Safrina Dyah  Hardiningtyas; Supriyanto Supriyanto; Mahfuddin  Zuhri

doi:10.29303/ipr.v8i2.473

DEVELOPMENT OF LOW-COST OPTICAL SENSOR-BASED DEVICE FOR REAL-TIME MICROALGAE CONCENTRATION MEASUREMENT

Authors

Heriyanto Syafutra , Erus Rustami , Stephanie Claudia , Safrina Dyah Hardiningtyas , Supriyanto Supriyanto , Mahfuddin Zuhri

DOI:

10.29303/ipr.v8i2.473

Published:

2025-05-06

Issue:

Vol. 8 No. 2 (2025)

Keywords:

microalgae concentration; light dependent resistance; low-cost sensors; sedgewick rafter counting; smart device; spectroscopy.

Articles

Downloads

PDF

How to Cite

Syafutra, H., Rustami, E. ., Claudia, S. ., Hardiningtyas, S. D., Supriyanto, S., & Zuhri, M. . (2025). DEVELOPMENT OF LOW-COST OPTICAL SENSOR-BASED DEVICE FOR REAL-TIME MICROALGAE CONCENTRATION MEASUREMENT. Indonesian Physical Review, 8(2), 429–447. https://doi.org/10.29303/ipr.v8i2.473

Download Citation

Abstract

Conventional methods for measuring microalgae concentration in water require several steps and must be carried out in the laboratory. These measurements are usually performed by counting microalgae filaments under an optical microscope using the Sedgewick Rafter Counting (SRC) method or by spectroscopy, utilizing light absorption by microalgae's chlorophyll. In this study, we propose an innovative and portable spectroscopic device for real-time measurement of microalgae concentration by integrating a light-dependent resistor (LDR) sensor and a microcontroller-based processing unit. The microalgae used in this study were Spirulina, a filamentous microalga from the class Cyanophyceae. The SRC method was used as a reference for measuring Spirulina concentration. UV-Vis spectroscopy data showed that the absorption of chlorophyll a and b was in the range of 400 - 450 nm. The absorption coefficients obtained from the UV-Vis absorbance vs. concentration relationship were in good agreement with those obtained from the logarithmic light intensity vs. concentration relationship across all tested predictive models. We confirmed that the emission spectrum of the LED used was aligned with the dominant absorption of Spirulina chlorophyll, ensuring accurate optical detection of microalgae concentration. The developed device demonstrated rapid estimation of microalgae concentration, with an average accuracy of more than 75%. This study showed that a portable and low-cost microalgae concentration measurement system can be developed using optical sensors and microcontrollers as an alternative to laboratory-based measurements. In addition, the designed device can be integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) platforms, enabling real-time monitoring of environmental conditions for applications such as water quality assessment, aquaculture, and biofuel production.

References

S. Anto et al., “Algae as green energy reserve: Technological outlook on biofuel production,” Chemosphere, vol. 242, p. 125079, Mar. 2020.

A. Jabłońska-Trypuć, E. Wołejko, M. D. Ernazarovna, A. Głowacka, G. Sokołowska, and U. Wydro, “Using Algae for Biofuel Production: A Review,” Energies, vol. 16, no. 4, p. 1758, Feb. 2023.

E. A. O’Neill and N. J. Rowan, “Microalgae as a natural ecological bioindicator for the simple real-time monitoring of aquaculture wastewater quality including provision for assessing impact of extremes in climate variance – A comparative case study from the Republic of Ireland,” Sci. Total Environ., vol. 802, p. 149800, Jan. 2022.

M. D. Streicher, H. Reiss, and K. Reiss, “Impact of aquaculture and agriculture nutrient sources on macroalgae in a bioassay study,” Mar. Pollut. Bull., vol. 173, p. 113025, Dec. 2021.

P. Gu et al., “Predicting cyanobacterial decomposition response to multiple environmental factors through Central Composite Design method,” Environ. Technol. Innov., vol. 22, p. 101513, May 2021.

S. Kwak, S. Lyu, Y. Do Kim, and D. Kim, “Field Measurement of Spatiotemporal Algae Distribution Using In Situ Optical Particle Size Sensor,” Water Resour. Res., vol. 56, no. 9, Sep. 2020.

G. Fekete et al., “Comparative Analysis of Laboratory-Based and Spectroscopic Methods Used to Estimate the Algal Density of Chlorella vulgaris,” Microorganisms, vol. 12, no. 6, p. 1050, May 2024.

A. Antony and J. Mitra, “Refractive index-assisted UV/Vis spectrophotometry to overcome spectral interference by impurities,” Anal. Chim. Acta, vol. 1149, p. 238186, Mar. 2021.

J.-J. Poh, W.-L. Wu, N. W.-J. Goh, S. M.-X. Tan, and S. K.-E. Gan, “Spectrophotometer on-the-go: The development of a 2-in-1 UV–Vis portable Arduino-based spectrophotometer,” Sensors Actuators A Phys., vol. 325, p. 112698, Jul. 2021.

M. L. Khouri, M. E. V. Segatto, M. J. Pontes, M. E. Monteiro, A. Frizera, and C. A. R. Diaz, “A Low-cost Portable Interrogator for Dynamic Monitoring of Wavelength-Based Sensors,” J. Phys. Conf. Ser., vol. 2407, no. 1, p. 012024, Dec. 2022.

R. F. Adiati, A. S. Haniyah, A. Kartono, and H. Syafutra, “DESIGN OF AN AUTOMATIC PENDULUM VELOCITY MEASURING DEVICE USING LIGHT SENSORS,” Indones. Phys. Rev., vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 150–161, Dec. 2024.

H. Syafutra, T. M. N. Aziz, I. Novianty, I. Irmansyah, M. Chusnu, and D. Prayoga, “Implementasi Sistem Keamanan Pintu Otomatis Berbasis Face Recognition di Proactive Robotic: Integrasi ESP32-Cam dan Telegram,” J. Ris. Fis. Indones., vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 65–74, Jun. 2024.

J. Rocher, L. Parra, J. M. Jimenez, J. Lloret, and D. A. Basterrechea, “Development of a Low-Cost Optical Sensor to Detect Eutrophication in Irrigation Reservoirs,” Sensors, vol. 21, no. 22, p. 7637, Nov. 2021.

A. Sanchini and M. Grosjean, “Quantification of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and pheopigments a in lake sediments through deconvolution of bulk UV–VIS absorption spectra,” J. Paleolimnol., vol. 64, no. 3, pp. 243–256, Oct. 2020.

J. M. Tien, “Internet of Things, Real-Time Decision Making, and Artificial Intelligence,” Ann. Data Sci., vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 149–178, Jun. 2017.

H. Harb, D. Nader, K. Sabeh, and A. Makhoul, “Real-time Approach for Decision Making in IoT-based Applications,” in Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Sensor Networks, SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications, pp. 223–230, 2022.

R. Martínez, N. Vela, A. el Aatik, E. Murray, P. Roche, and J. M. Navarro, “On the Use of an IoT Integrated System for Water Quality Monitoring and Management in Wastewater Treatment Plants,” Water, vol. 12, no. 4, p. 1096, Apr. 2020.

A. Alshami, E. Ali, M. Elsayed, A. E. E. Eltoukhy, and T. Zayed, “IoT Innovations in Sustainable Water and Wastewater Management and Water Quality Monitoring: A Comprehensive Review of Advancements, Implications, and Future Directions,” IEEE Access, vol. 12, pp. 58427–58453, 2024.

S. Pasika and S. T. Gandla, “Smart water quality monitoring system with cost-effective using IoT,” Heliyon, vol. 6, no. 7, p. e04096, Jul. 2020.

H. Syafutra et al., “SAINS TANAH – Journal of Soil Science and Agroclimatology Development of portable color detector : its application for determination of Munsell Soil Color,” vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 1–11, 2025.

Irzaman et al., “Ferroelectric sensor BaxSr1-xTiO3 integrated with android smartphone for controlling and monitoring smart street lighting,” J. King Saud Univ. - Sci., vol. 34, no. 6, p. 102180, Aug. 2022.

M. Helamieh, M. Reich, P. Rohne, U. Riebesell, M. Kerner, and K. Kümmerer, “Impact of green and blue‐green light on the growth, pigment concentration, and fatty acid unsaturation in the microalga Monoraphidium braunii,” Photochem. Photobiol., vol. 100, no. 3, pp. 587–595, May 2024.

P. L. Jokiel and R. H. York, “Importance of ultraviolet radiation in photoinhibition of microalgal growth1,” Limnol. Oceanogr., vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 192–198, Jan. 1984.

E. G. Nwoba, T. Rohani, M. Raeisossadati, A. Vadiveloo, P. A. Bahri, and N. R. Moheimani, “Monochromatic light filters to enhance biomass and carotenoid productivities of Dunaliella salina in raceway ponds,” Bioresour. Technol., vol. 340, p. 125689, Nov. 2021.

Y.-C. Yeh, B. Haasdonk, U. Schmid-Staiger, M. Stier, and G. E. M. Tovar, “A novel model extended from the Bouguer-Lambert-Beer law can describe the non-linear absorbance of potassium dichromate solutions and microalgae suspensions,” Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol., vol. 11, Mar. 2023.

Y.-C. Yeh, T. Ebbing, K. Frick, U. Schmid-Staiger, B. Haasdonk, and G. E. M. Tovar, “Improving Determination of Pigment Contents in Microalgae Suspension with Absorption Spectroscopy: Light Scattering Effect and Bouguer–Lambert–Beer Law,” Mar. Drugs, vol. 21, no. 12, p. 619, Nov. 2023.

A. L. Karam, Y.-C. Lai, F. L. de los Reyes, and J. J. Ducoste, “Chlorophyll a and non-pigmented biomass are sufficient predictors for estimating light attenuation during cultivation of Dunaliella viridis,” Algal Res., vol. 55, p. 102283, May 2021.

Z. Zhang, G. Yin, N. Zhao, and R. Jia, “Counting Method of Microfluidic Phytoplankton Based on Object Detection and Deduplication,” in 2024 5th International Seminar on Artificial Intelligence, Networking and Information Technology (AINIT), IEEE, Mar. 2024.

M. L.C. Passos and M. L. M.F.S. Saraiva, “Detection in UV-visible spectrophotometry: Detectors, detection systems, and detection strategies,” Measurement, vol. 135, pp. 896–904, Mar. 2019.

N. Ö. Doğan, “Bland-Altman analysis: A paradigm to understand correlation and agreement,” Turkish J. Emerg. Med., vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 139–141, Dec. 2018.

B. M. Cesana and P. Antonelli, “Bland and Altman agreement method: to plot differences against means or differences against standard? An endless tale?,” Clin. Chem. Lab. Med., vol. 62, no. 2, pp. 262–269, Jan. 2024.

P. Taffé, P. Halfon, and M. Halfon, “A new statistical methodology overcame the defects of the Bland–Altman method,” J. Clin. Epidemiol., vol. 124, pp. 1–7, Aug. 2020.

L. Chen and C. Kao, “Parametric and nonparametric improvements in Bland and Altman’s assessment of agreement method,” Stat. Med., vol. 40, no. 9, pp. 2155–2176, Apr. 2021.

E. Palandri et al., “Leveling the gap between different counting techniques in coccolithophore cultures.,” J. Nannoplankt. Res., vol. 42, no. S, pp. 88–88, 2024.

J. G. Cadondon, P. M. B. Ong, E. A. Vallar, T. Shiina, and M. C. D. Galvez, “Chlorophyll-a Pigment Measurement of Spirulina in Algal Growth Monitoring Using Portable Pulsed LED Fluorescence Lidar System,” Sensors, vol. 22, no. 8, p. 2940, Apr. 2022.

N. M. V. Sampaio, C. M. Blassick, V. Andreani, J.-B. Lugagne, and M. J. Dunlop, “Dynamic gene expression and growth underlie cell-to-cell heterogeneity in Escherichia coli stress response,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., vol. 119, no. 14, Apr. 2022.

Sunrom Technologies, “Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) – Model 3190,” 2008. [Online]. Available: Sunrom Technologies

License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with Indonesian Physical Review Journal, agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence (CC BY SA-4.0). This license allows authors to use all articles, data sets, graphics, and appendices in data mining applications, search engines, web sites, blogs, and other platforms by providing an appropriate reference. The journal allows the author(s) to hold the copyright without restrictions and will retain publishing rights without restrictions.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in Indonesian Physical Review Journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).

DEVELOPMENT OF LOW-COST OPTICAL SENSOR-BASED DEVICE FOR REAL-TIME MICROALGAE CONCENTRATION MEASUREMENT

Authors

DOI:

Published:

Issue:

Keywords:

Articles

Downloads

How to Cite

Abstract

References

License

Official Website Of

Indonesian Physical Review, University of Mataram

Contact Us

Official link

Share & Follow