Abstract

Ever more restricting environmental regulations, perceived risk and social acceptability of the transport, storage and refining of hydrocarbons, push for the development of novel sensitive, real-time and remote measuring methods for the detection of liquid leaks, spills and gaseous fugitive emissions. In this regard benzene is perceived as both a hazard, because of its carcinogenic nature, which mandates its detection, and also as a reliable marker for a broader range of hydrocarbons (crude oil, fuel oil, diesel, kerosene, gasoline, etc) [1], thanks to its limited natural occurrence and low tendency to disperse from its source (heavier than air vapor). “Resonance-enhanced” Raman scattering in the DUV is an efficient and selective method for the detection of benzene [2], especially in the context of measurements in broad daylight. By exciting benzene at 259.0 nm (vacuum) the Raman signature stays within the “solar blind” part of the spectrum (< 280 nm) and photon-counting based detection strategy can be used for improved sensitivity. Of the four main benzene’s absorption peaks in the UV-C band, the 259.0 nm band has the advantage of corresponding to the 4th harmonic of 1036.0 nm IR radiation which lies fairly close to the peak emission cross-section of Yb ions embedded in a silica glass matrix.

© 2019 IEEE