The Development of a Sub-Surface Monitoring System for Organic Contamination in Soils and Groundwater

A major problem when dealing with environmental contamination is the early detection and subsequent surveillance of the contamination. This paper describes the potential of sub-surface sensor technology for the early detection of organic contaminants in contaminated soils, sediments, and landfill si...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sharon L. Huntley, Lawrence J. Ritchie, Steven J. Setford, Selwayan Saini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2002-01-01
Series:The Scientific World Journal
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2002.203
Description
Summary:A major problem when dealing with environmental contamination is the early detection and subsequent surveillance of the contamination. This paper describes the potential of sub-surface sensor technology for the early detection of organic contaminants in contaminated soils, sediments, and landfill sites. Rugged, low-power hydrocarbon sensors have been developed, along with a data-logging system, for the early detection of phase hydrocarbons in soil. Through laboratory-based evaluation, the ability of this system to monitor organic contamination in water-based systems is being evaluated. When used in conjunction with specific immunoassays, this can provide a sensitive and low-cost solution for long-term monitoring and analysis, applicable to a wide range of field applications.
ISSN:1537-744X