Using a digital camera and computer data processing for the determination of organic substances with diazotized polyurethane foams

The possibility of using a digital camera and computer software for the estimation of the color intensity of polymeric azo compounds synthesized by the reaction of the azo coupling of diazotized polyurethane foams (PUFs) with different organic substances was studied. The method is based on photographing colored polyurethane foams with a digital camera followed by the computer processing of the color images. It was found that calibration equations are described by a descending exponent of the first order. The advantages of the proposed method are its high sensitivity due to the chemisorption concentration of substances, simplicity, and low cost. In combination with a high efficiency, compactness, and the availability of digital cameras, this allows us to recommend it for field analysis. It is shown by the example azo coupling reactions involving diazotized PUF that, using digital cameras as detectors and computer data processing, one can determine substances with a sensitivity equal to that of diffuse reflection spectroscopy.