Portable Spectro-Fluoro-Meter

OMNIFLUOR is a PORTABLE spectrofluorometer that would identify and measure, in situ, petrochemical contaminants within soils, alluvium colluvium and other rock materials. The analyzer accepts interchangeable sampling modules that include a "spotter" module that detects surface luminescence and a bifurcated fiber optic contact probe. It requires no consumables or technical expertise, and performs real-time analysis. It's computerized design measures all the luminescent properties of a compound within seconds by Multidimensional Luminescence (MDL). The MDL technique confers specificity through pattern recognition of 400 data values. It is implemented by having the analyzer rapidly measure excitation wavelength effectiveness, emission spectral characteristics, emission intensity, as well as lifetime and polarization properties. Rapidly variable wavelength excitation of luminescence is achieved by a pulsed Xenon-flash lamp, and an array detector simultaneously measures all spectral emission characteristics at each pulsed excitation wavelength. The Phase 1 effort is to "breadboard" an analyzer design, that would then be constructed during Phase 2. The breadboard would test concepts, allow optimization of design and prove feasibility. It would provide information to be used in a pre-production prototype analyzer. A prototype analyzer would be supplied to NASA for their evaluation.