title: Laser-based detection of PAHs and BTXE-aromatics in oil polluted soil samples.
abstract: Time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy and fiber optics are applied for the detection of aromatic hydrocarbons in oil contaminated water and soil samples. Time-integrated data accumulation of fluorescence intensities in an "early" and in a "late" time window with respect to the exciting laser pulse simplifies the method in such a way that it becomes very attractive for practical applications. For ultraviolet laser excitation at 337 nm and recording fluorescence signals at 400 nm, typical detection limits of the present set-up are 0.5 mg engine oil/L in water and 5 mg engine oil/kg in soil. A discrimination between BTXE-aromatics and PAHs in oil polluted soil or water samples is possible, when more than one laser wavelength in the ultraviolet is used for the excitation. The possibilities for a thermal discrimination between different aromatics are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Experimentalphysik, Universität Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, D-24098, Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bublitz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Christophersen
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schade