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In this joint project between the engineering and art departments, the chemical reaction between L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and silver, specifically in photographic paper, is investigated. This chemical reaction causes a darkening of the silver halides in the paper, leaving a permanent image. This summer, I have determined a grayscale based on ascorbic acid concentration, time, solution pH, and type of photographic paper. This grayscale shows the impact that each factor has on the darkening of the silver halides in photographic paper. Using this grayscale, a low-cost ascorbic acid content sensor that uses photographic paper and a standard cell phone camera will be developed and tested over the coming months.|L-ascorbic acid is widely used industrially and commercially. Among its uses are as an additive or preservative in food, a medical treatment, a measurement of quality in produce, and a crop spray in agriculture. Due to the many applications of ascorbic acid, ascorbic acid detection methods are in demand in both consumer and industrial markets. Approaches to detection are numerous; however, none are low-cost, and most use specialized equipment, making them unsuitable for the average consumer. |However, this project has promising results that can lead to a low-cost Vitamin C detector, solving this issue of little availability to Vitamin C concentration tests. Industrial and agricultural costs for ascorbic acid detection would drop. Health-conscious consumers will be able use it out of curiosity, as well as those with dietary specifications involving the vitamin.