A portable sensor system for the simultaneous detection of multiple environmentally relevant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in real seawater based on Fourier transform infrared fiber-optic evanescent wave spectroscopy (FT-IR-FEWS) was developed. A cylindrical silver halide (AgX) fiber with an ethylene/propylene copolymer (E/P-co) coated flattened segment was used as an active optical transducer. The polymer membrane enriches the hydrophobic analytes, while water is effectively excluded from the penetration depth of the evanescent field. Determination of multicomponent mixtures (i.e., 10 VOCs in real-world seawater samples) collected in Arcachon Bay, France revealed a high accuracy and reproducibility with detection limits down to 560 ppb. The measurement showed no significant influence from changing water conditions (e.g., salinity, turbidity, and temperature or other interfering substances). The time constants for 90% saturation of the polymer ranged from 20 to 60 min. The sensor system is capable of being transported for on-site monitoring of environmental pollutants in aqueous matrices with efficient long-term stability, thus showing great potential to be utilized as an early warning system.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are one of the most commonly detected contaminants in water. The occurrence is mainly in gasoline and other petroleum-based products, fumigants, paints and plastics. Releases into the environment and the widespread use have an impact on the ecosystem such as humans and animals due to their toxicity, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity. VOCs may persist in groundwater and may enter drinking water supplies. In this paper, a diamond-like carbon (DLC)-coated silicon waveguide in combination with a polymer film (ethylene/propylene copolymer, E/P-co) for enrichment of analytes was investigated to determine its suitability for ATR-FTIR (attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared) spectroscopic detection of VOCs. The DLC film was fluorine-terminated enhancing the adhesion of the hydrophobic polymer to the waveguide surface. The analytes diffuse into the hydrophobic polymer whereas water is excluded from the emanating evanescent field. Therefore, direct detection in aqueous systems is enabled. Nine VOCs, i.e., ethylbenzene (EB), trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (TeCE), the xylene isomers (p-xylene, pXYL; m-xylene, mXYL; o-xylene, oXYL), naphthalene (NAPH), toluene (TOL), and benzene (BENZ), were evaluated simultaneously qualitatively and quantitatively showing the potential of DLC coatings revealing high sensitivities in the low ppb to ppm concentration range, i.e., 50 ppb for TeCE. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time of IR spectroscopic detection of VOCs in aqueous solutions using DLC-coated waveguides in combination with a hydrophobic polymer. By utilizing a DLC-coated waveguide, a versatile sensor for real-time monitoring in harsh environments such as effluents, leaking pipelines, and underground storage tanks is feasible due to response times within a few minutes.

The durability of metal-based constructions, especially those containing reinforced concrete, is mainly limited by corrosion processes. Diamond-like carbon (DLC)-coated silicon (Si) wafers provide a chemically inert and mechanically robust sensing interface for application in aggressive environments. In this study, iron-sensitive dyes, i.e., 2,3-dihydroxypyridine (DHP) and 1,2-dihydroxybenzol (DHB), were coated onto DLC-modified Si wafers for evaluating the potential of detecting corrosion processes via evanescent field absorption spectroscopy using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The obtained IR spectra reveal discernible changes of the dye layer after exposure to iron solutions, which indicates that indeed corrosion processes may be studied at molecular level detail.