Design, construction, and testing of a real-time ammonia measurement system using an electrochemical sensor: A Do-It-Yourself framework

Ammonia (NH 3 ) emissions are of prime environmental interest due to air quality concerns, fine particulate formation, nitrogen deposition, and nutrient management in ecosystems. Proper instrumentation for measuring NH 3 concentrations is needed to quantify emissions and test mitigation strategies. Commercial measurement systems are based on a similar principle to read the signal from the sensor that responds to the target pollutant gas through a data logger; however, the cost and scientific value vary depending on the quality of the parts used. Electrochemical sensors can be used to reduce costs and increase data availability. This method research reports a process for designing, manufacturing, calibrating, and testing an electrochemical sensor-based NH 3 measurement system for a budget-oriented end-user. System evaluation included sensor and airflow calibration, data acquisition and storage testing, performance assessment under different environmental conditions, and comparison with commercially available instruments. The methods demonstrated that real-time NH 3 data acquisition was reliable even with an electrochemical sensor-based system assembled from commonly available components. This paper outlines the components and approach required to reproduce the developed system and highlights the potential for adapting similar electrochemical sensor–based approaches to other gases and environmental monitoring applications.