Embedding a multichannel ion-sensitive field-effect transistor-pH sensor array in marine sediments: a new approach for continuous in situ pH monitoring

Abstract

Human activities have significantly increased carbon dioxide emissions, leading to global warming and ocean acidification, which threaten marine ecosystems, including coral reefs with high biodiversity. Coral reef maintenance relies on a balance between calcium carbonate formation and dissolution. Among the processes, sandy sediments, covering vast areas and highly sensitive to ocean acidification, require urgent investigations to elucidate their dissolution mechanisms. However, conventional glass electrodes have limitations in continuous monitoring of the spatiotemporal distribution of pH within sediment. To address this, we developed a multichannel ion-sensitive field-effect transistor (ISFET)-pH sensor array with a tantalum oxide sensing membrane, which was embedded in the sediment to enable high-resolution and continuous pH monitoring. A 24-h pH monitoring experiment was conducted in coral reef sediments to validate the method. The performance of the sensor was evaluated through both laboratory and field observations, and a comparison with a conventional glass electrode confirmed that the ISFET-pH sensor provided stable pH measurements within the uncertainty range of the glass electrode. The developed sensor array is a low-cost and durable automatic measurement system, offering an alternative to conventional glass electrodes, which are expensive and fragile. However, optimizing sputtering conditions, annealing processes, and data processing techniques is necessary to reduce environmental influences and enhance measurement accuracy. The proposed array-based observation method enables the acquisition of high-resolution vertical pH profiles and is expected to contribute to the quantitative evaluation of the chemical role of sandy sediments and the elucidation of carbon cycling in coral reef ecosystems.