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MO: Fachverband Molekülphysik
MO 14: Poster 2: Biomolecules, Electronic Spectroscopy, Experimental Techniques, Quantum Chemistry, Various Topics
MO 14.27: Poster
Wednesday, March 14, 2012, 16:30–19:00, Poster.IV
Raman Spectroscopy Techniques for the Detection of Explosives — •Rasha Hassanein, Bernd von der Kammer, and Arnulf Materny — Research Center for Functional Materials and Nanomolecular Science, Jacobs University, Campus Ring 1, D-28759 Bremen, Germany
The detection of explosives and compounds used for the synthesis of explosive substances attracts considerable attention. In our work, we have applied different Raman spectroscopy techniques in order to identify explosive-related molecules with high sensitivity and fingerprint selectivity. Here, we present results of Raman spectroscopy applied to perchlorate anions in water. Traces of this highly explosive substance have been detected in ground water, soil and drinking water as a result of its use as main component in missile and rocket fuel. Consumption of perchlorate in drinking water interferers and disturbs the function of the thyroid gland, which then leads to secondary diseases. Techniques applied to increase the sensitivity were surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), which makes use of local field enhancement close to metal nanoparticles, as well as accumulation techniques, increasing the concentration within the interaction range of the excitation laser. Best results were obtained using resin beads - insoluble polymer particles - which attract the anions via an ion exchange process. With adapted resin beads we were able to detect perchlorate traces down to approx. 1 ppb concentration.