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NEULOG CALCIUM ION SENSOR GUIDE
Concentration range
1M to 5x10-7M
0.02 to 40,000 ppm
pH range
2.5 to 11 pH
Temperature range
0 to 40°C
Minimum sample size
3mL in a 50 mL beaker
Reproducibility
±4%
Electrode resistance
1 to 4 megaohms
NeuLog calcium sensor
NUL-238 Carolina # 369667
The NeuLog calcium ion sensor can be used for any science experiment or activity
which can utilize calcium concentration readings such as in the fields of Environmental
Science, Ecology, Chemistry, Biology, etc.
Just a few of the thousands of possible experimental subjects that can be done with
the NUL-238 sensors are: chemical reactions, water quality, environmental health,
small animal behavior, ecological studies, and many more
The calcium sensor uses the following units of measure:
Milligrams per liter (mg/L): SI unit of measure for density of a solid dissolved
in a liquid.
Parts per million (ppm): The total amount of a specific molecule (calcium for
example) per million molecules in a sample.
Calcium sensor usage:
The calcium sensor’s electrode uses a PermaFil (non-refillable), Ion-selective
electrode. The reference chamber is gel filled and sealed off and therefore no further
reference fill solution is required.
Usage guide:
Required equipment:
Wash bottle with distilled or deionized water.
Several clean beakers.
1 mL, 10 mL, and 100 mL pipettes.
Technical notes:
All standard solutions should be prepared fresh.
The standards should be at the same temperature as the sample.
Use ISA in all solutions.
Note: ISA is added to all solutions to ensure the samples and standards
have the same ionic strength. The ratio is 1:50
Electrode preparation:
1. Remove the protective cap encasing the calcium probe’s electrode.
CAUTION: Do not touch the PVC membrane at the end of the probe
with your fingers
2. Rinse the electrode with deionized water and blot dry. Be sure not to rub as
this will harm the sensor.
3. Soak the electrode in deionized water for 10 minutes, then in a diluted
calcium standard solution (0.0001 M / 1 ppm) until ready for use.
Calibration:
Be sure to calibrate the calcium sensor once daily during periods of regular usage.
1. Prepare the electrode as described in the “Electrode preparation” guide
above.
2. Place 97 mL of deionized water into a 150 mL beaker.
3. Add 2 mL of Ionic Strength Adjustor (ISA) (comes with sensor).
4. Rinse the electrode with deionized water and blot dry and place in the 150
mL beaker.
5. Pipette 1 mL of 1000 ppm calcium standard solution (comes with sensor)
and stir thoroughly.
6. In the NeuLog software, once the sensor has been detected, click on the
calcium sensor icon.
7. After a stable reading has been reached, click on the calibrate button, or
hold the “Start/Stop” button located on the sensors faceplate down for 4
seconds.
8. Rinse electrode once more with deionized water and blot dry.
9. The calcium sensor is now calibrated and ready for use.
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NEULOG CALCIUM ION SENSOR GUIDE
Electrode storage:
Short term (overnight or weekend):
Rinse the electrode thoroughly with deionized water and place the tip in a diluted
standard solution (around 10 ppm) between measurements.
Long term:
Rinse the electrode thoroughly with deionized water and blot dry. Attach the hard
plastic protective electrode cap again to protect the sensing element.
Quick start procedure:
PC or Mac Computer
Materials needed:
NUL-238 Calcium Sensor
USB-200 USB Module
A USB to mini USB cable (which comes with the USB-200)
Before use, please review the “Calcium sensor usage”, “Electrode preparation”,
“Electrode storage”, and “Calibration” sections of this document above to ensure the
proper use and longevity of the NeuLog calcium ion sensor.
Your calcium sensor needs to be connected to a USB-200 module. The USB-200
module then connects to a computer via a USB to mini-USB cable. Please note that
you cannot plug the calcium sensor directly into the computer.
Resident PC software and browser based software can be downloaded for free at
www.NeuLog.com/dowload as well as a full software user guide. Note: Make sure not
to download and install both types of software, they will conflict on the computer.
Procedure:
1. Install the NeuLog software
2. Connect the USB-200 module to the PC or Mac
3. Connect the calcium sensor to the USB-200 module (they directly plug
together).
4. Open the NeuLog software.
5. Once a calcium sensor logo appears on the left side of the screen the probe
has been automatically identified and you can begin experimentation.
6. If the calcium sensor is not automatically identified then click the “Search for
sensors” icon to find the sensor.
7. Select the “On-line experiment” button; this will open a graph below.
8. Click on the “Module setup” button located on the calcium sensor icon in the
module window to change the sensor settings if need be.
9. Click on the experiment set up button to change the experiment settings if
need be (experiment duration for example).
10. The calcium sensor will give a live reading in the box to the left of the screen
while plugged in.
11. To run an experiment and collect data click “Run experiment”.
12. To end data collection early, click “Stop experiment”.
Tablet, smart phone device
Materials needed:
NUL-238 Calcium Sensor
WIFI-201 WIFI module
BAT-200 Battery
Before use, please review the “Calcium sensor usage”, “Electrode preparation”,
“Electrode storage”, and “Calibration” sections of this document above to ensure the
proper use and longevity of the NeuLog calcium ion sensor.
Your calcium sensor needs to be connected to a WIFI-201 module. The WIFI-201
module will create a closed NeuLog wifi network which will stream the NeuLog data to
a device of your choosing. Once your device is wirelessly connected to the NeuLog
network you can run experiments and collect data through a browser of your choosing.
Procedure:
1. Connect the calcium sensor directly to the left side of a WIFI-201 module
(no wires required).
2. Connect a BAT-200 module to the right side of the WIFI-201 module.
3. Although not required, we recommend plugging the BAT-200 to an outlet
using a USB to micro USB charger (such as a typical cell phone charger).
The WIFI-201 module will run for 15-75 minutes (depending on the sensor)
without being plugged in.
4. For further WIFI-201 instructions or the WIFI-201 quick start guide please
visit www.NeuLog.com/download.
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NEULOG CALCIUM ION SENSOR GUIDE
5. The WIFI-201 indicator lights will flash; take no action until the LED to the
far left turns blue.
6. Take your tablet or smart phone and go to the Wi-Fi settings and select the
NeuLog network which matches the WIFI module ID found on the back of
the WIFI-201 device. (NeuLogXXXX for example)
7. Give your device 1-2 minutes to connect to the WIFI-201 network.
8. Once the device is connected go to your browser and type in the website
wifi201.com into the URL bar, then wait for 30-60 seconds.
9. You will see a “Control mode” icon in the browser, click on this icon.
10. The browser will then load a new screen and begin to auto detect the
sensors, this can take a few minutes.
11. If the browser does not auto detect, select “Search for sensors”
12. Once the sensor is found you will see an icon on the left side of the screen
for the calcium sensor. The icon will display data in real time.
13. To set the calcium sensor’s settings click on “Module setup” button located
on the calcium sensor icon on the left side of your screen.
14. To change the experimental settings click the “Experiment setup” button
(experiment duration for example).
15. To run an experiment and collect data click “Run experiment”.
Operation with NeuLog viewer
Materials needed:
NUL-238 Calcium Sensor
VIEW-101 Viewing Module
BAT-200 Battery
Before use, please review the “Calcium sensor usage”, “Electrode preparation”,
“Electrode storage”, and “Calibration” sections of this document above to ensure the
proper use and longevity of the NeuLog calcium ion sensor.
Procedure:
1. Connect the calcium sensor to the left side of the viewer.
2. Connect the BAT-200 module to the right side of the viewer.
3. The VIEW-101 will auto detect the sensor and you will see it appear on the
left side of the screen.
4. Once the sensor appears it will be monitoring data in real time.
5. To run an experiment and collect data click the run button (little green
person).
Off-line experiments
(Off-line experiments are for when you do not have a sensor connected directly to a
computer, tablet, smartphone, or NeuLog viewer).
Materials needed:
NUL-238 Calcium Sensor
BAT-200 Battery
Before use, please review the “Calcium sensor usage”, “Electrode preparation”,
“Electrode storage”, and “Calibration” sections of this document above to ensure the
proper use and longevity of the NeuLog calcium ion sensor.
Materials needed to configure your offline experiment:
USB-200 USB Module or WIFI-201 WIFI module or VIEW-101 Viewing Module
A USB to mini USB cable (which comes with the USB-200)
Procedure:
1. Connect the calcium sensor directly to the left side of a charged BAT-200
module.
2. When ready to collect data press the “Start/Stop” button on the calcium
sensor, a red light will turn on for the duration of the experiment.
3. To change the experiment settings first connect to your chosen device (PC,
Mac, tablet, smart device) and select the “Module setup” button. (For more
information on how to change the experiment settings view quick start
procedure section for your chosen device in this document.)
4. After the experiment has concluded (when the “Start/Stop” button is pressed
again or the data collection period ends) connect the sensor to your chosen
device. (full instructions in each device’s quick start procedure section)
5. Open NeuLog software.
6. Click the “Off-line experiment” button.
7. Click the “Load data from sensors” button.
8. Select which experimental data to upload. (5 experimental runs can be
stored at one time on the NUL-238 calcium sensor)
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NEULOG CALCIUM ION SENSOR GUIDE
Sensor specifications
Mg/L
Ppm
Range and
operation modes
0.02 to 40,000
0.02 to 40,000
ADC resolution
14 bit
Resolution
0.03 at 0.02 to 100 mg/L
0.1 at 100 to 1,000 mg/L
130 mg/L at 1,000 to 40,000
mg/L
1 ppm
Max sample rate
(S/sec)
100
Restoring sensor’s factory default settings:
Procedure:
1. Connect the USB-200 to a PC, Mac, tablet, or smart device.
2. Connect the calcium sensor to a USB-200 module (they directly plug
together).
3. Open the NeuLog software.
4. Click the “Tools” icon.
5. Click “Restore sensor’s factory defaults” icon.
6. If prompted to clear the graph, click either the “Off-line experiment” or “On-
line experiment” (whichever you are using).
7. Click “Clear experiment results”.
8. Resume from step 4.
Included with sensor:
NeuLog NUL-238 Calcium Sensor Guide (this document).
NeuLog calcium (Ca2+) sensor electrode.
Calcium (Ca2+) Ionic Strength Adjuster (ISA)
Calcium (Ca2+) 1000 ppm standard
Sensor features:
Fully digital data.
Rugged plastic ergonomic case.
PermaFil ion selective electrode.
Calcium probe connected to the sensor body by a flexible rubber-coated
wire.
Protective hard-plastic storage cap.
Push button switch for Start/Stop experiments in off line mode.
LED indicator of experiment status (blinks while collecting data).
Note: NeuLog products are intended for educational use.
Videos and experiment examples:
Videos, literature and other probes can be found at www.NeuLog.com
http://www.NeuLog.com/Products/CalciumloggerSensor.aspx
Technical background:
The philosophy behind NeuLog’s plug and play technology is based on each sensor’s
ability to store its own data due to an internal flash memory chip and micro-controller
in each plastic NeuLog body. This technology allows the sensor to collect and then
store the digital data in the correct scientific units (oC, oF, Lux, %, ppm, for example).
The sensor is pre-calibrated at the factory. The built-in software in the logger can be
upgraded for free at any time using the provided firmware update.
The calcium sensor uses a permanently filled ion selective electrode to accurately
measure the amount of calcium ion in a solution. Calcium ions interact directly with a
specialized electrode membrane at the end of the probe. When the ions interact with
the electrode’s membrane a small voltage is generated. This voltage is compared
against the voltage in the internal reference electrode and measured using an internal
voltmeter. Once the voltage is measured, a calcium ion concentration is calculated
using the sensors software.
The Ionic Strength Adjustor (ISA) is used to standardize the strength of the ions in
various solutions to give the most accurate readings.
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NEULOG CALCIUM ION SENSOR GUIDE
Maintenance and storage:
Before use, please review the “Calcium sensor usage”, “Electrode preparation”,
“Electrode storage”, and “Calibration” sections of this document above to ensure the
proper storage and longevity of the NeuLog calcium ion sensor.
Never submerge the NeuLog plastic body in any liquid.
Do not allow liquid into the calcium sensor’s body.
After use, gently wipe away any foreign material from the calcium sensor.
Store in a box at room temperature out of direct sunlight.
Warranty:
We promise to deliver our sensor free of defects in materials and workmanship for a
period of 3 years from the date of purchase. Our warranty does not cover damage of
the product caused by improper use, abuse, or incorrect storage. Sensors with a shelf
life such as ion selective proves have a warranty of 1 year. Should you need to act
upon the warranty please contact your distributor. Your sensor will be repaired or
replaced.
Thank you for using NeuLog!
Flexible, simple, fast, forward thinking.
W: www.neulog.com
E: info@neulog.com
A: 850 St Paul Street, Suite 15, Rochester, NY 14605
P: 1.866.553.8536
V04302013
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