Determination of energetic materials in soil using multivariate analysis of Raman spectra

Contamination of soils by energetic materials (EMs) is an important issue in many locations (such as test mounds, ordnance depots, and manufacturing sites). Raman spectroscopy can be useful as a screening technique at the percent level (by mass) if interference from soil fluorescence can be overcome. Multivariate analysis is shown capable of both extracting the Raman signatures of EMs from spectra obscured by large fluorescence backgrounds caused by soil components, and generating calibration curves for the EMs at the percent level.