TURBIDITY-MEASURING PROBE HAVING POLYMER MEMBRANES MODIFIED BY A HYDROPHOBIC SOL-GEL

摘要

The present invention relates to a turbidity measuring probe, and more particularly, to a probe in which polymer membranes are formed at a light-emitting window and at a light-receiving window arranged at the probe to measure the turbidity of test sample water, in order to prevent the deposition of microorganisms or floating substances, and thus measure the turbidity of the test sample water in an accurate manner. The probe of the present invention comprises: a housing having the light-emitting window and the light-receiving window for the penetration of light; a light-emitting unit embedded in the housing to emit light, via the light emitting window, onto the test sample water arranged outside the housing; a light detector embedded in the housing to detect incident light via the light-receiving window; and polymer membranes formed at the surfaces of the light-emitting window and the light-receiving window to prevent the deposition of microorganisms or floating substances contained in the test sample water. As described above, the turbidity measuring probe of the present invention can accurately detect microorganisms and ultrafine particles contained in the test sample water. Further, the polymer membranes formed at the light-emitting window and the light-receiving window have no hydroxyl group (-OH) which can be bonded to water, and therefore reduces the bonding forces between the membranes and the microorganisms or floating substances in a culture medium in a liquid state, thereby preventing or minimizing the deposition of microorganisms or floating substances and improving turbidity detection performance.