FURI | Spring 2026

Quantifying Ethanol Interference in Ammonia Standard Solutions Using Physicochemical and Spectroscopic Methods

This project seeks to investigate whether ethanol interferes with ammonia standard solutions used in point of care ammonia sensing. Accurate ammonia measurements are critical toward diagnosing metabolic disorders such as hyperammonia. However, current commercial standard solutions in the market contain ethanol, this leads to the introduction of measurement errors due to the volatility and physicochemical properties of ethanol. Through this research, we analyze ammonia-only, ethanol-only, and mixed solutions using conductivity, pH, refractive index, and UV-Vis measurements. Preliminary observations suggest that ethanol affects conductivity and pH responses, with additional variability over time likely due to evaporation. If interference is observed, we aim to qualitatively assess its impact. This study will help improve current calibration methods and enhance the accuracy and reliability of point-of-care ammonia sensors.