Subsurface H 2 S Detection by a Surface Acoustic Wave Passive Wireless Sensor Interrogated with a Ground Penetrating Radar

• Published in: ACS sensors Vol. 5; no. 4; pp. 1075 - 1081
• Main Authors: Rabus, David, Friedt, Jean-Michel, Arapan, Lilia, Lamare, Simon, Baqué, Marc, Audouin, Grégoire, Chérioux, Frédéric
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 24-04-2020
• Subjects: Biosensing Techniques - methods; Hydrogen Sulfide - chemistry; Sound; functional polymer; ground penetrating RADAR; hydrogen sulfide; surface acoustic waves; wireless measurement
• ISSN: 2379-3694; 2379-3694
• DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.0c00013

Long-term monitoring of organic pollutants in the soil is a major environmental challenge. We propose to meet this issue by the development of a polymer dedicated to selectively react with H
S, coating surface acoustic wave transducers designed as passive cooperative targets with the compound, and probing their response using Ground Penetrating RADAR, thus providing the capability to monitor the presence of H
S in the subsurface environment. The selectivity is brought by including lead(II) cation in a reticulated polymer matrix which can be deposited as a thin layer on a surface acoustic wave sensor. We demonstrate a signal enhancement mechanism in which water absorption magnifies the signal detection, making the sensor most sensitive to H
S in an underground environment saturated with moisture.