| Issue |
J. Eur. Opt. Soc.-Rapid Publ.
Volume 12, Number 1, 2016
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Article Number | 16 | |
| Number of page(s) | 9 | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41476-016-0018-4 | |
| Published online | 03 October 2016 | |
Research
Fluorometry in application to fingerprint of petroleum products present in the natural waters
Physics Department, Gdynia Maritime University, 81-225, Gdynia, Poland
Received:
16
May
2016
Accepted:
20
September
2016
Background: This study analyses the possibility of optical detection of trace amounts of oil in natural waters. Since petroleum and its derivatives induced by ultraviolet light exhibit a high intensity of fluorescence, this phenomenon can be used to detect petroleum products penetrating both the surface and subsurface waters. The challenge is to discriminate the fluorescence signal originating from petroleum substances from the total signal originating from both petroleum products and the natural substances.
Results: Issues connected with fluorescence methods of detection of oil substances diffused in aquatic environment are analysed. Based on fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorometric indices of petroleum products for two forms (dissolved in n-hexane and dispersed in water) are discussed. The excitationemission spectra (EEMs) were determined in the range of excitation wavelengths 240-450 nm and 270-600 nm for emission. Selected parameters of oil fingerprinting are discussed: similarity ratio, intensity ratio and wavelength-independent fluorescence peaks (Exmax/Emmax). The latter was compared with the typical fluorescing natural marine residues.
Conclusions: The results indicate that Exmax/Emmax and intensity ratio appear to be efficient indices for the discrimination of oil pollution from autochthonous seawater fluorescent substances.
Key words: Excitation-emission spectra / Oil pollution / Oil-in-water emulsion / Dissolved oil / Seawater
© The Author(s) 2016
Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.
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