Fiber optic/cone penetrometer system for subsurface heavy metals detection
- Science & Engineering Associates, Inc., San Diego, CA (United States)
The objective of this project is to develop an integrated fiber optic sensor/cone penetrometer system to analyze the heavy metals content of the subsurface. This site characterization tool will use an optical fiber cable assembly which delivers high power laser energy to vaporize and excite a sample in-situ and return the emission spectrum from the plasma produced for chemical analysis. The chemical analysis technique, often referred to as laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), has recently shown to be an effective method for the quantitative analysis of contaminants soils. By integrating the fiber optic sensor with the cone penetrometer, we anticipate that the resultant system will enable in-situ, low cost, high resolution, real-time subsurface characterization of numerous heavy metal soil contaminants simultaneously. There are several challenges associated with the integration of the LIBS sensor and cone penetrometer. One challenge is to design an effective means of optically accessing the soil via the fiber probe in the penetrometer. A second challenge is to develop the fiber probe system such that the resultant emission signal is adequate for quantitative analysis. Laboratory techniques typically use free space delivery of the laser to the sample. The high laser powers used in the laboratory cannot be used with optical fibers, therefore, the effectiveness of the LIBS system at the laser powers acceptable to fiber delivery must be evaluated. The primary objectives for this project are: (1) Establish that a fiber optic LIBS technique can be used to detect heavy metals to the required concentration levels; (2) Design and fabricate a fiber optic probe for integration with the penetrometer system for the analysis of heavy metals in soil samples; (3) Design, fabricate, and test an integrated fiber/penetrometer system; (4) Fabricate a rugged, field deployable laser source and detection hardware system; and (6) Demonstrate the prototype in field deployments.
- Research Organization:
- USDOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC), WV (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AR21-95MC32089
- OSTI ID:
- 229553
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/METC-96/1021-Vol.2; CONF-9510108-Vol.2; ON: DE96000552; TRN: 96:001840-0006
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Environmental technology development through industry partnership, Morgantown, WV (United States), 3-5 Oct 1995; Other Information: PBD: Oct 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the environmental technology through industry partnership conference. Volume 2; Kothari, V.P.; PB: 266 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Cone Penetrometer for Subsurface Heavy Metals Detection. Semiannual report, November 1, 1996--March 31, 1997
EM Task 13 -- Cone penetrometer for subsurface heavy metals detection. Semi-annual report, April 1--September 30, 1997