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FACULTY OF PHYSICS

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2025-07-06 14:01

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Conference: Bucharest University Faculty of Physics 2025 Meeting

Section: Solid State Physics and Materials Science

Title:

An optical fiber based plasmonic sensing approach for ethanol detection in aqueous media

Authors:

Andreea IONESCU(1,2), Ana-Maria POPA(1,2), Felicia IACOB(1,2), Vlad-Andrei ANTOHE(2), Gabriel SOCOL(1) and Iulia ANTOHE(1)

Affiliation:

1)National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics (INFLPR), Atomiştilor Street 409, 077125 Măgurele, Ilfov, Romania

2)Faculty of Physics, Research and Development Center for Materials and Electronic & Optoelectronic Devices (MDEO), University of Bucharest, Atomiştilor Street 405, 077125 Măgurele, Ilfov, Romania

E-mail

iulia.antohe@inflpr.ro

Keywords:

Ethanol, plasmonic sensor, fiber optic-surface plasmon resonance, aqueous media

Abstract:

Ethanol is a volatile, flammable, and transparent organic compound widely used across various industries. However, its excessive presence poses health risks, particularly affecting the respiratory and central nervous systems [1]. As a result, there is a growing demand for accurate and real-time ethanol detection, especially in the pharmaceutical and food sectors, to ensure compliance with safety regulations and permissible alcohol levels [2]. Conventional methods for ethanol quantification, including liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), electrochemical sensing, and colorimetric assays, offer varying degrees of sensitivity and selectivity [3]. Nonetheless, these techniques often suffer from limitations such as lengthy response times, complex instrumentation, and limited suitability for continuous or in situ monitoring. In this context, fiber optic plasmonic sensors have emerged as a promising alternative. These sensors offer several advantages over traditional methods, including high sensitivity, rapid response, miniaturized form factors, and immunity to electromagnetic interference [4]. Their integration into real-time monitoring systems holds significant potential for advancing ethanol detection technologies across critical application domains. In this study, we present a fiber optic–surface plasmon resonance (FO-SPR) sensor designed for the precise detection of ethanol concentrations in aqueous solutions. The sensor is fabricated by coating a segment of multimode optical fiber with a 50 nm thin gold film to induce surface plasmon resonance (SPR). To evaluate the sensing performance, we monitored the wavelength shift corresponding to ethanol concentrations ranging from 0% to 100% in both water and beer media. The results demonstrate high sensitivity and reproducibility, underscoring the sensor’s potential for real-time ethanol monitoring in food and pharmaceutical applications, where controlling alcohol levels is critical for consumer safety.

References:

[1] Lieber C.S. (1991). "Ethanol metabolism, cirrhosis and alcoholism" Clinica Chimica Acta, 202(1-2), 1–21.

[2] Wen G., et al. (2013). "Detection of ethanol in food: A new biosensor based on bacteria" Journal of Food Engineering, 118, 56–61.

[3] Wilson A.D. & Baietto, M. (2009). "Applications and advances in electronic-nose technologies" Sensors, 9(7), 5099–5148.

[4] Homola J. (2008). "Surface plasmon resonance sensors for detection of chemical and biological species" Chemical Reviews, 108(2), 462–493.

Acknowledgement:

This research was supported by the National Authority for Research and Innovation in the framework of the Nucleus Programme—LAPLAS VII (grant 30N/2023) and by the grants of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization, CNCS/CCCDI- UEFISCDI, project no. 19PCE/2025, PN-IV-P1-PCE-2023-1902 and project no. 72/2024, ERANET-M-3-GasSensingMat-RT-1, within PNCDI IV and PoCIDIF nr. 390008/ 27.11.2024.