Determination of ammonia in the air using piezoelectric resonance sensors coated with humic acids

Natural macromolecular compounds, humic acids (HA), have been used to form gas-sensitive layers of piezoelectric resonance gravimetric sensors. HA have been extracted from humus using alkaline extraction and purified by electrodialysis through ion-exchange membranes. Species have been deposited onto the electrode surface of piezoelectric quartz resonators by air-spraying their aqueous solutions, the layer thickness being 100–200 nm. In determining ammonia with the sensor obtained on the basis of purified HA species, the detection limit is ∼10 mg/m³. Gas-sensitive layers on the basis of humic acids are more stable as compared to the conventionally used gas-sensitive layers based on pyridoxine hydrochloride or ascorbic acid.