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Infrared Light

Blaise006

Blaise006

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Recently, I came across an article regarding using infrared light to measure blood oxygen levels. I found it very interesting that the use of infrared light could express oxygen in parts per million in a persons blood (through their skin). Then I came across a couple of articles on the relationship between PH, DKh, and CO2. It got me thinking that there may be applications in the marine biology field, public aquarium Industry, and reef keeping hobby. I am not a chemist. I was curious if anyone might be available to discuss its legitimacy that has a bit more chemistry background.


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I only started thinking down this path this afternoon just to make sure to emphasize this is a fresh idea.

An example I immediately thought of is if infrared light could be used to determine carbon, CO2, and/or hydrogen levels? It may be provide an easy, consistent, continuous measurement that provides different insights to the tank. If PH and CO2 can be determined then Alkalinity can also be inferred and so on.


I could be totally off base, so that’s why I am curious if there is any legitimacy to this thought process.

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Yeah....unfortunately, IR spectroscopy is not that straightforward. A lot of different elements/molecules absorb or reflect IR light...in fact H2O would interfere with it. So, it would be difficult/impossible to measure anything in an aqueous sample using IR. Pulse Oximetry is used to estimate pO2 by actually measuring IR light absorbed by hemoglobin which dramatically changes its conformation and IR absorption when it binds to Oxygen. So, it is not actually measuring Oxygen.
 
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