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Optical sensors developed from dye-doped coatings obtained through the sol-gel method were designed and produced to evaluate air acidity. Both laboratory calibration and field test measurements in several locales of downtown Cracow, Poland, were undertaken with the aim of assessing the sensors' behavior. As a first approach, SO2 was considered as the main gaseous pollutant with acid properties capable of sensitizing the sensors under humid conditions. A relationship between the SO2 concentration measured by conventional automatic air pollution monitoring stations and the optical response of the sensors was established. To correlate such a relationship with the air acidity, a simple calculation, which also takes into account relative humidity, temperature, and atmospheric pressure, was done. Following this calculation, the sensors' detection threshold for pH was found to be 0.05, approximately. The sensors can be a very useful analytical tool to alert against acid rain risks in preventive conservation of historical materials, among other applications.

Sensors based on sol-gel glassy coatings doped with 2[4-(dimethyl-amino) phenylazo] benzoic acid are able to change their optical absorption when they are submitted to different concentration of H 3 O + and OH -. The sensors behaviour in field tests was studied in Cracow (Poland), varying the normal procedure of operation to improve their response. Both the sensors optical parameters and the environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, pressure, SO 2 and NO x concentrations) were measured. The sensors response was analysed in terms of their visible absorbance changes, which are due to local neutralisation reactions in the sensors surface by the join effect of acid pollutants and humidity. Correlations between the main acid pollutant (SO 2 ) concentration and the sensors response are established to provide a relation between the optical absorption and the environmental pH. The sensors are able to detect and monitorise environmental acidity, as well as to alert on the pollutant concentration that may damage most of the historical materials Keywords: glassy coatings, sol-gel, sensors, environmental acidity, Heritage conservation.Mejora de sensores vítreos sol-gel para la conservación preventiva de materiales históricos frente a la acidez.Los sensores a base de recubrimientos vítreos sol-gel dopados con ácido 2[4-(dimetil-amino) fenilazo] benzoico son capaces de cambiar su absorción óptica cuando se someten a distintas concentraciones de iones H 3 O + y OH -. La respuesta de los sensores en ensayos de campo se estudió en Cracovia (Polonia) variando el procedimiento normal de uso, con el fin de mejorar su respuesta. Se midieron tanto los parámetros ópticos de los sensores como las condiciones ambientales (temperatura, humedad, presión y concentraciones de SO 2 y de NO x ). La respuesta de los sensores se analizó en términos de los cambios de su absorción visible. Dichos cambios se deben a reacciones locales de neutralización que tienen lugar en la superficie de los sensores, debido al efecto conjunto de los contaminantes de carácter ácido y a la humedad ambiental. Se establecieron correlaciones entre la concentración del contaminante principal (SO 2 ) y la respuesta de los sensores para elaborar una calibración directa entre la absorción óptica y el pH ambiental. Los sensores pueden detectar y evaluar la acidez ambiental, así como alertar sobre la concentración de contaminantes ácidos que pueden dañar a la mayoría de los materiales históricos.

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