Development of a flow injection micro analysis system using an ARM microcontroller with an interactive web-based interface

Abstract

Monitoring the state of the environment is increasingly important in today's changing world. Flow Injection Analysis techniques are useful for measuring a wide range of solutions in a cost-effective and controlled manner. These include seawater samples from which the levels of iron present can be quantified. During the analysis, a wide variety of devices need to be controlled precisely to ensure accurate and repeatable results. Such devices include peristaltic pumps, switching valves, six-port valves and solenoid valves. The system is simple to configure by using a bespoke web-based interface to configure and control an STM32 ARM microcontroller. The routine can be visualised to check that it looks correct, and then the information is sent in a JSON format to the microcontroller. The microcontroller then sends the appropriate control signals to the devices following the programmed routine, allowing users to analyse substances such as iron with minimal training.