Citizen science nutrient measurement via DIY spectrometry

Session: Smart Lakes: Real-Time Monitoring, Networking, and Analytics Across the Great Lakes (2)

Hunter King, University of Akron, [email protected]
Kelly Siman, University of Akron, [email protected]
Jiansheng Feng, University of Akron, [email protected]
Banafsheh Khakipoor, University of Akron, [email protected]
Adam Smith, University of Akron, [email protected]

Abstract

The challenge posed by harmful algal blooms is peculiar in that, despite knowing the primary cause -- nutrient loading from the watershed -- communities most affected by them remain unable to reverse the trend in their frequency and disruptive power. Prominent reasons cited for this inability include: insufficient nutrient loading data, as necessary for understanding its dynamics, developing predictive models, and evaluating remediation strategies;  insufficient coordination and technological preparedness in community action across relevant geographical scales; and inadequate public perception of the issue, due to invisible and distributed nature of the problem's source. For the complementary goals of building a broad dataset of watershed nutrient loading, empowering community stewardship of local water resources, and promoting awareness of water issues, we have been developing a minimally sophisticated, conceptually transparent, smart-phone-based spectrometer, specifically suited for measurement of nutrient concentration by citizen scientists.  Apart from its affordability, the present design's primary strength is in careful automated image analysis to side-step the need for tricky or subjective user judgement.  The mechanism can accept any commercial chemical reagent which creates a visible signal, which presents open questions regarding its optimal utility in applications needing alternatively high sensitivity (near river mouths) or high resolution (upstream, closer to sources).