METHOD FOR DETECTION AND DISCRIMINATION OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) AND MONOAROMATICS BASED ON LASER-INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROSCOPY (LIBS)

摘要

The invention provides a method for remote real-time detection and monitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and monoaromatics in a sample based on the use of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). According to the method of the invention, detection and monitoring of PAHs and monoaromatics in a sample is carried out by the steps of using the energy from a pulsed laser to ablate a small quantity of a sample containing PAHs or monoaromatics, producing the emission spectrum of the resulting plasma plume by means of a spectrograph, detecting the intensities of the optical energy of specific features of the emission spectrum, measuring the intensities, and analyzing the measurements of the intensities. Analyzing the measurements of the intensities is done by comparing the measured maximum intensities with values in a previously acquired data base, calculating the ratio of the integrated intensity of specific features of the emission spectrum, and comparing the calculated ratios with values in a previously acquired data base.