Laser-Based Fluorescence Eem Instrument forIn-SituGroundwater Monitoring

Abstract
A fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) instrument is described which employs laser excitation and optical fiber light delivery for remote sensing applications. Ultraviolet laser light is generated at a variety of discrete wavelengths by pumping a Raman shifter with the third or fourth harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser, and this Raman-shifted light is used for fluorescence excitation to generate EEM spectra. Seven-meter optical fibers are used for laser beam delivery and fluorescence light collection, and a diode array detector is used to detect fluorescence emission spectra. As a test of the capability of this instrument, the composition of a two-component mixture of the groundwater pollutants carbazole and p-cresol is determined quantitatively by least-squares analysis of the mixture's fluorescence EEM. Detection limits were in the ppb range and the linear dynamic range was better than 3 orders of magnitude.