Vol. 35, issue 11, article # 11

Abstract:

The limiting sensitivity of a method for detecting vapors of nitrocompounds in the atmosphere based on laser fragmentation/laser-induced fluorescence is estimated in calculations with the developed kinetic model of the LF/LIF process. The calculations take into account the influence of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide as a limiter of the sensitivity of the method when operating in a real atmosphere. It is shown that if the concentration of nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere does not exceed 10 ppb, the maximum detectable concentrations of nitrobenzene and o-nitrotoluene vapors are ppb-level. It was also shown that the one-color excitation method usually used for the detection of nitrocompounds does not allow attaining the maximum efficiency of the LF/LIF process.

Keywords:

laser fragmentation, nitrocompound, nitrobenzene, nitrotoluene, laser-induced fluorescence, nitric oxide, NO-fragment

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