# US 2013/0153777 A1 · Absorption probe for measuring dissolved organic carbon in an aqueous sample > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153777 A1 - Document ID: US20130153777A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/806,701 - Filed: 2011-06-23 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-06-23 - Assignees: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation - Inventors: Brett Alexander Sexton; Michael John Best - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153777A1 ## CPC - G01N 21/59: Transmissivity (G01N21/25 takes precedence) - G01N 21/8507: {Probe photometers, i.e. with optical measuring part dipped into fluid sample} - G01N 33/1886: {using probes, e.g. submersible probes, buoys} - C02F 2209/21: Dissolved organic carbon [DOC] - G01N 21/33: using ultraviolet light (G01N21/39 takes precedence) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) ## Abstract Some embodiments relate to an absorption probe for measuring an amount of dissolved organic carbon in an aqueous sample, the absorption probe comprising: a housing defining an analysis zone for the containment or passage of an aqueous sample; a light reflector disposed within said housing; an ultraviolet light emitting device disposed within said housing and operable to radiate ultraviolet light along an optical path that passes through the aqueous sample to impinge on said reflector; and a light detector disposed within said housing and operable to detect radiated light reflected from said reflector and to output a received signal from said detected reflected light, said received signal indicative of a measure of an amount of dissolved organic carbon in the aqueous sample. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An absorption probe for measuring an amount of dissolved organic carbon in an aqueous sample, the absorption probe comprising: a housing defining an analysis zone for the containment or passage of an aqueous sample; a light reflector disposed within said housing; an ultraviolet light emitting device disposed within said housing and operable to radiate ultraviolet light along an optical path that passes through the aqueous sample to impinge on said reflector; and a light detector disposed within said housing and operable to detect radiated light reflected from said reflector and to output a received signal from said detected reflected light, said received signal indicative of a measure of an amount of dissolved organic carbon in the aqueous sample. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An absorption probe according to claim 1, wherein the light reflector is one of a back surface reflector or a front surface reflector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An absorption probe according to claim 2, wherein the light reflector is a back surface reflector comprising aluminium, silver, a metal with a high UV reflectance, or a dielectric reflector layer deposited on a ultraviolet transmitting quartz disc or a UV transmitting glass. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) An absorption probe according to claim 2, wherein the light reflector is a front surface reflector comprising aluminium, silver, a metal with a high UV reflectance or a dielectric reflector layer deposited on a layer of plate glass, common glass or non-ultraviolet transmitting flat substrate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An absorption probe according to claim 1, wherein the light reflector is a mirror. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) An absorption probe according to claim 3, wherein a protective overcoat of silicon dioxide or magnesium fluoride is applied to the deposited aluminium or silver. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An absorption probe according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first member within which is housed the ultraviolet light emitting device and the light detector and a second member within which is housed the light reflector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An absorption probe according to claim 7, wherein the light reflector and light detector are disposed proximate a first end of the first member, and the first end of the first member is capped with an ultraviolet radiation transparent element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) An absorption probe according to claim 7 further comprising a collimator to collimate the ultraviolet light radiated from the light emitting diode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) An absorption probe according to claim 7, wherein the first member is detachably connectable to the second member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) An absorption probe according to claim 10, wherein an end of the second member slidably or rotationally engages with a surface of said first member to connect the respective members together. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) An absorption probe according to claim 11, wherein the first member is provided with a limit means to limit the extent of engagement with the second member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) An absorption probe according to claim 7, wherein the second member has a passageway through it to enable transport of the aqueous sample through the analysis zone. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) An absorption probe according to claim 13, wherein a well of the second member has two or more apertures configured to permit circulation of the aqueous sample when at least a portion of the absorption probe is immersed in a body of water. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An absorption probe according to claim 14, wherein a wall of the first or second member surrounding the cavity has engagement means to engage the output of a faucet. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) An absorption probe according to claim 1 further comprising a signal processing unit operable to process said received signal to calculate a measure of an amount of dissolved organic carbon in the aqueous sample according to Beer's-Lamberts Law. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) An absorption probe according to claim 16, where the signal processing unit is a physically separate unit from the housing and the signal processing unit is in signal communication with the light detector. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) An absorption probe according to claim 17, wherein the signal processing unit stores a measure of the transmission Io of ultraviolet light in substantially pure distilled or de-ionised water containing no dissolved organic carbon. ### Claim 19 (depends on 4) An absorption probe according to claim 4, wherein a protective overcoat of silicon dioxide or magnesium fluoride is applied to the deposited aluminium or silver. ### Claim 20 (depends on 8) An absorption probe according to claim 8 further comprising a collimator to collimate the ultraviolet light radiated from the light emitting diode.