Combined LIBS/Raman Underwater Contaminants Assessment System

To address the Navy need for a portable underwater-deployed device capable of real-time monitoring of potentially dangerous substances present in the diver-surrounding water and sediment, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new underwater contaminants assessment system combining laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and a Geiger counter – (LIBRA). This innovation in combining the three well-established detection methods into a single portable unit will enable LIBRA to perform comprehensive assessment of the water safety by detecting all possible types of contaminants (chemical, biological, and radiological) and recommend the required protective equipment for the diver. As a result, LIBRA offers low cost, high sensitivity, hardware and software flexibility, autonomous operation, and real-time contaminant assessment capabilities, which directly address the ONR Undersea Medicine Program requirements for a portable handheld unit for assessment of potential dangers to swimmers, divers, and submariners. In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of LIBRA by identifying known contaminants and developing a benchtop operational prototype for their detection. In Phase II, POC plans to develop a prototype system for testing in operational environments.