Quality Control of Sewage Water in Wastewater Treatment Plants using Raman Technologies

The aim of this study is to improve the inline monitoring of wastewater. Two probes, a resonator chamber constructed from aluminum and a 3D-printed hollow sphere crafted from steel with gold coating, are evaluated in comparison with a commercially available probe (Kaiser NCO10.5-VE). The impact on the sensitivity of the probes is illustrated in the Raman spectra. Furthermore, relevant analytes were measured in order to investigate the sensitivity in the ppm range. The effect on the Raman scattering with regard to the cross-sensitivity of the substances to each other and the turbidity of the sample was also investigated. With the help of simple and robust correction methods, the actual substance concentration of the respective analyte can be determined from a Raman measurement.