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Turbidity monitoring�via a KdUINO buoy

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But first – all about BOB

  • Use inexpensive makerspace products for monitoring and data capture
  • Rely on solar power
  • Send results to database viewable by public in real time
  • Developed and maintained by Dr. James A Forrest Career and Technology Center students and volunteers with a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust

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BOB measures:

  • Air temperature
  • Water temperature at surface (0.3m) and bottom (at the sensors)
  • Dissolved oxygen (mg/l & % saturation)
  • pH
  • Electrical conductivity / Salinity
  • Lux at the solar panel
  • Device voltage
  • Air temperature and humidity within the electronics enclosure

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Where do the BOBs live?

ID

LOCATION

ACTIVE?

BOB-01

Lovers Point Oyster Sanctuary

No

BOB-02

South of Lovers Point

Yes

BOB-03

Cherry Cove

Yes

BOB-04

Calvert Marine Museum

Yes

BOB-05

Leonardtown Wharf

Yes

BOB-06

Moll Dyer Run?

No

BOB-07

Combs Creek?

No

Updated 11/3/2023

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Turbidity Project Inspiration

Journal article: Estimating the Underwater Diffuse Attenuation Coefficient with a Low-Cost Instrument: The KdUINO DIY Buoy

The authors Raul Bardaji, Albert-Miquel Sánchez, Carine Simon and Jaume Piera are associated with the Department of Physical and Technological Oceanography, Marine Sciences Institute (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain; Marcel R. Wernand is associated with Department of Physical Oceanography, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Texel, The Netherlands

Published in the 15 March 2016 in the journal Sensors

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Original KdUINO concept

One way to quantify water transparency is to determine the diffuse attenuation coefficient Kdwhich is estimated by measuring the decrease of downwelling irradiance with depth.

The KdUINO is designed to compute Kd as the slope of the linear regression of the measurements.

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Conceptual Design

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BoM / Components

Component

Qty / Notes

TCS34725 Light Sensor

6

TCA9548A I2C Multiplexer

1

PVC pipe and fittings

5 tees; 1” straight pipe cut to fit; 1 cap

Weight

@ bottom cap to maintain orientation

Swan STM32L4R5

Microcontroller

Wire

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Open Design Issues

  • How will the KdUINO buoy be physically attached to the BOB?
  • How modular should it be for ease of handling?
  • Needs its own float?
  • How will the KdUINO buoy be wired to the BOB?
  • Quick disconnect needed for ease of handling?
  • Housing details for the electrical components at top of the stack

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Build Plan

  • Assemble a solderless breadboard test of all the components
  • Install the light sensors in the PVC Tees and waterproof with resin
  • Retest the light sensors!!!
  • Test fit of the PVC pipe structure
  • Install & connect the wiring between the sensors and MCU
  • Retest!!!
  • Assemble the PVC pipes and fittings; make final connections
  • Live Test!!!

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Component Pinouts

TCS34725 (light sensor)

TCA9548A (mux)

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Swan (mcu)

Circuit Wiring

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Questions?

Norm O’Foran | norm.oforan@gmail.com

Thank you & have a great day!

QR code to Forrest Tech BOBs website

March 2023: NRM students on field trip to CBL

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Sources & further reading

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Sources

1. Bardaji, R.; Sánchez, A.-M.; Simon, C.; Wernand, M.R.; Piera, J. Estimating the Underwater Diffuse Attenuation Coefficient with a Low-Cost Instrument: The KdUINO DIY Buoy. Sensors 2016, 16, 373. https://doi.org/10.3390/s16030373

2. Carlos Rodero, Raul Bardaji, Jaume Piera. 2021. KduPRO. User’s guide and technical documentation. doi: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5721155�

3. Rodero García, C. [et al.]. Water quality monitoring program through the KduSTICK, a low-cost and Do-It-Yourself instrument connected by the Internet of Things. 9th International Workshop on Marine Technology (MARTECH 2021). "Instrumentation Viewpoint", 2021, núm. 21, p. 64-65.

4. https://www.monocle-h2020.eu/Sensors_and_platforms/KdUINO_en

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Further reading: MONOCLE

MONOCLE website > https://www.monocle-h2020.eu

MONOCLE: Multiscale Observation Networks for Optical monitoring of Coastal waters, Lakes and Estuaries

Low cost and high-autonomy sensors and platforms for optical water quality monitoring.

Funded by EU H2020, MONOCLE brought together 12 partners from across Europe to create sustainable in situ observation solutions for Earth Observation (EO) of optical water quality in inland and transitional waters. Developing essential research and technology to lower the cost of acquisition, maintenance, and regular deployment of in situ sensors.�

The MONOCLE sensor system establishes firm links between operational Earth Observation (EO) and essential environmental monitoring in inland and transitional water bodies. These aquatic ecosystems, which are particularly vulnerable to direct human impacts, represent areas of the weakest performance in current EO capability, despite the major technological advances in recent decades. At the same time, these areas are of great economic importance and are crucial to sustainable food, energy, and clean water supply.

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Other sources: Trevanthan

Sensors journal article: Towards the Development of an Affordable and Practical Light Attenuation Turbidity Sensor for Remote Near Real-Time Aquatic Monitoring

Authors: Jarrod Trevathan and Wayne Read at Institute of Integrated and Intelligent Systems, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia and Simon Schmidtke at Substation33, Logan, Australia

Published: 2 April 2020