Monitoring of Water Systems by "Alarm" Tests

Two aspecific tests, suitable to be used as "alarm" tests, are proposed. In particular, a sensor and a biosensor, both of the electrochemical type, were set up, characterised and used to check the TOC value (total organic carbon) and the toxicity of samples coming from the Piedimonte S. Germano (a small town in the South of Lazio, Italy) water system. The sensor used to determine the TOC is based on the measure, by a suitable modified commercial CO2 electrode, of the carbon dioxide produced by a catalysed photodegradation of organic compounds. The toxicity was tested by a respirometric test based on the measure, by a commercial Clark electrode, of the oxygen consumed by yeast cells for their breathing activity in presence and absence of the considered toxic. Both the devices have demonstrated to be suitable for the monitoring of the chosen matrix.