American Institute of Mathematical Sciences

In this paper, we present the design, development and testing of a salinity sensor system for estuary studies. The salinity sensor was designed keeping size, cost and functionality in mind. The target market for this sensor is in hydrology where many salinity sensors are needed at low cost. Our sensor can be submersed in water for up to two weeks (all electronics are completely sealed) while salinity is recorded on-board at user-defined intervals. The data is then downloaded to a computer in the laboratory, after which the sensor is recharged, cleaned for biofouling and ready to be used again. The system uses a software program to download, display and analyze the sensor data. Our initial laboratory testing shows the salinity sensor system is functional. The novelty of this work is in the use of toroidal (inductive) conductivity sensors, the resulting low cost and simple design.