Does anyone know of any sensors that can detect ammonia dissolved in water

I am structuring a possible idea that involves such sensor, can someone give some suggestions?

Your nose can. :grinning:

Besides that, you may search for fish pond sensors as ammonia can be problematic for them.

Your nose only detects gaseous ammonia. Remember your chemistry? Dissolved ammonia produces ammonium hydroxide, a base. So check the water ph. When the ph goes from neutral to basic, you probably have dissolved ammonia.

Yep I narrowed your selection down to a few hundred. Your application defines the sensor. I used duckduckgo looking for this" ammonia sensor " and got hundreds of possibilities. Try that and see if you find something that would do what you want. The cost can become very expensive depending on the sensor.

This paper would be an excellent resource. Get it through your library.

TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry
Volume 127, June 2020, 115890
TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry
Detection methods of ammonia nitrogen in water: A review
Daoliang Li et al.

I need a ammonia asensor that can open servo motors by detecting dissolved ammonia

so will a ph sensor work

I have been considering to try the Bosh BEM688 for some time.
It is an AI gas sensor you can learn to sniff different gases. You have to place it over the water to detect amonia vapor.
Bosh has a developer kit to set up the software:

Adafruit has a version of the board: Adafruit BME688 - Temperature, Humidity, Pressure and Gas Sensor [STEMMA QT] : ID 5046 : $19.95 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits.

or soap.

Doubtful. Dissolved ammonia may be present as any number of salts depending on the aqueous system, so you could have very high levels of ex ammonium chloride present and be at a pH of 4-5. Or you could have other alkaline species present besides ammonium hydroxide, so a pH measurement is not specific to ammonia.

If you need a real time sensor you will need an Ion Selective Electrode (ISE) specific for ammonia. Those are expensive and depending on the water conditions may need replacing fairly often.

2 Likes

This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.