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

Ammonia (NH₃) 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 NH₃ 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 NH₃ 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 NH₃ 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.