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    Detecting trace amounts of water in hydrocarbon matrices with infrared fiberoptic evanescent field sensors

    Year: 2012

    Journal: Analyst, 2012, 137, 333-341, 20131009

    Authors: Yuliya Luzinova, Bodgan Zdyrko, Igor Luzinov, Boris Mizaikoff

    Organizations: Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA; Clemson University, School of Material Science and Engineering, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA; University of Ulm, Institute of Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 89081 Ulm, Germany

    Water is a common contaminant in a variety of industrial oils and petroleum products. Thus, the detection of water in these products is of substantial relevance. Hence, this study focuses on quantifying trace amounts of water in hydrocarbons using hexane as a model system for industrial oils and petroleum matrices via mid-infrared (MIR) evanescent field absorption spectroscopy. A silver halide fiberoptic waveguide was used to interrogate in situ water-in-hexane emulsions. Either unmodified fibers or waveguides surface-modified with polyacrylic acid layers were used. The limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) of water in hexane utilizing tin-crosslinked polyacrylic acid modified fibers were 76 and 170 ppm, respectively. Consequently, the IR absorption signature of water in hexane is detectable at concentrations as low as 10 ppm. The proposed fiberoptic sensing strategy requires a single measurement only, requires no sample preparation, and thus has potential for the direct in situ detection and monitoring of water in industrial oils and petroleum products.