An android smartphone-based digital image colorimeter for detecting acid fuchsine dye in aqueous solutions

An android smartphone-based Digital Image Colorimeter (DIC) was proposed as a simple, fast, portable, an environmentally friendly, and accurate analytical procedure for quantitative detection of acid fuchsine dye in aqueous solutions. In this study, light-boxes photography was recommended for the quantitative assessment and constructed utilizing built-in-house analytical device supported by smartphone. An application called Color Grab App was developed for the Android smartphone that uses an image-matching algorithm to assess the AFD solutions. The color values such as red (R), green ( G), and blue (B) parameters can be measured via the app and utilized for determining the examined AFD solutions. The influence of main factors, such as light-boxes component, distance of sample cell holder, lighting types, position, angle, and power were studied in detail to obtain the correct color of the AFD solution and optimum conditions for recording the real RGB value. Under optimal conditions, the obtained calibration curves were linear over the ranges 3-9, 3-100, and 3-20 mu g mL(-1) of AFD with a good correlation coefficient (R-2 > 0.99) due to using G, B, and the sum of GB channels, respectively. The obtained signal via a G channel presented greater sensitivity and linearity, therefore preferred to be the best working channel for the AFD assessment. The accuracy and precision of the proposed method were also in acceptable range. UV-Vis spectrophotometry was also utilized as reference method. The proposed method was successfully applied for the evaluation of the dye decolorization levels via Pseudomonas Aeruginosa BCH bacterium strain. It has been observed that the recorded results by the proposed methods are in a good agreement with those recorded by the reference method. The proposed method also provides budgetary advantages due to the use of low-cost and easy-handled device. [GRAPHICS] .