The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is interested in field screening hazardous waste sites for contaminants in the soil and surface and ground water. The study is an initial technical overview of the principal molecular spectroscopic techniques and instrumentation currently available for field screening. The goal has been to describe the power and utility of molecular (optical) spectroscopic techniques for hazardous waste site screening and to define the main strengths, weaknesses, and applications of each major spectroscopic technique. A brief discussion is also given for some other techniques that rely on spectroscopic detection: colorimetry and fluorometry, as well as immunoassay and fiber-optic chemical sensors. The cost of instrumentation and analysis and the time requirements are briefly discussed. Broad guidelines are provided for the three categories of instrumentation: portable, field-deployable and semi-field-deployable. An outline of the spectroscopic principles and instrumentation for each particular spectroscopic techniques is given along with a description of state-of-the-art approaches. Advantages, limitations, sensitivities and examples of specific techniques and their applications to environmental contaminants are also discussed.

At head of title: Project Summary. Caption title. "EPA/600-S4-91-011." "September 1991."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is interested in field screening hazardous waste sites for pollutants in surface water, ground water, and soil. This report is an initial technical overview of the principal molecular spectroscopic techniques and instrumentation and their possible field-screening applications at hazardous waste sites. The goal of this overview is to describe the power and utility of molecular spectroscopic techniques for hazardous waste site screening and to define the main strengths, weaknesses, and applications of each major spectroscopic technique. These spectroscopic methods include electronic (ultraviolet-visible absorption and luminescence) and vibrational (infrared absorption and Raman scattering) techniques. A brief discussion is also given for some other techniques that rely on spectroscopic detection (colorimetry and fluorometry as well as immunoassay and fiber-optic chemical sensors). The cost of instrumentation and analysis and the time needed for analysis are briefly addressed, and broad guidelines are given for three categories of instrumentation: portable, field deployable, and semi-field deployable. An outline of the spectroscopic principles and instrumentation for each particular spectroscopic technique is presented, and state-of-the-art approaches are described. Advantages, limitations, sensitivities, and examples of specific techniques and their applications to environmental pollutants are also discussed.