DIAEXP

We propose to detect the energetic materials – explosives and compounds used for their fabrication in sewage and in suspected unauthorized dump sites (information of the uniformed services). The continuous monitoring points: sewage treatment plants, airports, railway stations, the main sanitary facilities are chosen for detection system installation.

To achieve such capabilities, the authors propose the use of new, multimodal detection systems based of mutually independent and complementary applied methods: optical spectroscopic techniques and current-voltage measurements in DC and AC mode. The combination of optical detection with simultaneous electrochemical measurement will allow increase in probability of explosives detection demanded in the analysis of samples with low content of analytes.

Hybrid sensing systems prepared in this way will allow detection of analyte using two independent groups of techniques:

-optical spectroscopy – the measurement of enhanced Raman and absorption spectroscopy,

-electrochemical – voltamperometric techniques and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

It is expected that the developed detection system will achieve sensitivity in the range of 10-6 – 10-15 M of specific compounds.

The proposed hybrid sensing system consists of dual detection:

– Semi-remote optical detection based on light interaction with vaporized sewage or dumps by use of ultrasonic actuator or infrared radiation.

-Direct electrochemical detection based on novel FET heterostructures based on innovative thin-film carbon materials (graphene and diamond).

This particular project will be focused on development of opto-electrochemical system mounted and tested in the laboratory conditions. Next future phase is to setup detection system in the form of floating buoy or hand-held tester depending on specific needs like constant monitoring or investigation of illicit activities (to be continued in next SPS project or other frame).