Resolving Cross-Sensitivity Effect in Fluorescence Quenching for Simultaneously Sensing Oxygen and Ammonia Concentrations by an Optical Dual Gas Sensor

Simultaneous sensing of multiple gases by a single fluorescent-based gas sensor is of utmost importance for practical applications. Such sensing is strongly hindered by cross-sensitivity effects. In this study, we propose a novel analysis method to ameliorate such hindrance. The trial sensor used here was fabricated by coating platinum(II) meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (PtTFPP) and eosin-Y dye molecules on both sides of a filter paper for sensing O2 and NH3 gases simultaneously. The fluorescent peak intensities of the dyes can be quenched by the analytes and this phenomenon is used to identify the gas concentrations. Ideally, each dye is only sensitive to one gas species. However, the fluorescent peak related to O2 sensing is also quenched by NH3 and vice versa. Such cross-sensitivity strongly hinders gas concentration detection. Therefore, we have studied this cross-sensitivity effect systematically and thus proposed a new analysis method for accurate estimation of gas concentration. Comparing with a traditional method (neglecting cross-sensitivity), this analysis improves O2-detection error from -11.4% ± 34.3% to 2.0% ± 10.2% in a mixed background of NH3 and N2.