HAZARDOUS MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION IN NORMAL TRANSPORT AND INACCIDENTS USING ELECTRONIC REMOTE CHEMICAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM (ERCIS)

IN MANY TRANSPORTATION ACCIDENTS INVOLVING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, EMERGENCY PERSONNEL ARE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CHEMICALS INVOLVED WHETHER THE CHEMICALS ARE RELEASED OR NOTEVEN WHEN APPROPRIATE PAPERS OF HELP FROM THE SHIPPERS ARE AVAILABLE, PRECIOUS TIME IS LOST BEFORE PROPER IDENTI- IFICATION CAN BE MADE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSED WORK ISTO DEVELOP A MICROPROCESSOR BASED CHEMICAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM THAT WILL ENABLE EMERGENCY PERSONNEL TO IDENTIFY THE CHEMICAL REMOTELY FROM OVER 1000 FEET. THE EFFORT PROPOSED INCLUDES DESIGNING APPROPRIATE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND CIRCUITS, AND TESTING THE FEASIBILITY OF THE CONCEPT ON A BREADBOARD MODEL. THE BREADBOARD MODEL WILL BE TESTED FOR TESTED FOR THE WORKABILITY OF THE CONCEPT. THE RESULT OF THIS PHASE OF WORK WILL RESULT IN THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF THE CONCEPT OF REMOTE CHEMICAL IDENTIFICATION (USING MICROPROCESSOR TECHNOLOGY) AND A HIGHLIGHTING OF THE TECHNICAL PROGLEMS TS THAT NEED TO BE OVERCOME FOR USE OF THE SYSTEM ON TANK CARS AND TANK TRUCKS.