Application of time-resolved, laser-induced and fiber-optically guided fluorescence for monitoring of a PAH-contaminated remediation site

A fiber-optical sensor system for the on-line and in situ detection of aquatic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) has been described. Detection limits in the ng l^-1 range have been obtained using time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. The method has been applied to the detection of pyrene in real samples from a contaminated area. Interferences from humic material has been eliminated by the use of chemometric methods such as three dimensional least squares and partial least squares.