FIBER OPTIC CHEMICAL SENSOR

THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THE DEVELOPMENT OF FIBER OPTIC CHEMICAL SENSORS (FOCS) AS NEW INSTRUMENTATION FOR THE IN-SITU DETECTION AND MONITORING OF SPECIFIC CLASSES OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS. IN PARTICULAR, A NEW METHOD IS PROPOSEDFOR THE DETERMINATION OF VOLATILE GEM-POLYHALOGENATED HYDROCARBONS (GPCHC) SUCH AS THE TRIHALOGENATED METHANES (THM), IN DRINKING AND GROUND WATER. CANDELA LASER CORPORATION AND OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY WILL IMPLEMENT SPECIFIC CHEMICAL REACTIONS IN A MINIATURE REACTORSECURED TO THE DISTAL END OF A FIBER OPTIC EXCITATION/COLLECTION SYSTEM. A DIODE PUMPED LASER WILL BE EMPLOYED TO EXCITE FLUORESCENCE IN A REACTION PRODUCT; THE RATE OF FLUORESCENCE INCREASE WILL BE RELATED TO THE CONCENTRATION OF THE VOLATILE SPECIES IN THE SAMPLE. THE INSTRUMENTATION CAN BE POTENTIALLY EMPLOYED IN THE OVER 3,000 FACILITIES IN THE U.S. THAT SUPPLY FINISHED DRINKING WATER TO OVER 10,000 PEOPLE PER FACILITY. IN ADDITION, GROUND WATER AS WELL AS SPECIFIC WASTE SITES MAY BE RELIABLYTESTED BY THIS RELIABLE, COST EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO REAL TIME IN-SITU MONITORING.