A field-deployed surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor for RDX quantification in environmental waters
Thibault Brulé1, Geneviève Granger1, Natalia Bukar1
1Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128 Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7 Canada. jf.masson@umontreal.ca.
The Analyst
|May 27, 2017
Summary
A new field-deployable surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor detects the explosive 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) in environmental water samples at ppb levels. This rapid, on-site sensor offers accurate RDX monitoring near EPA limits.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Sensor Technology
Background:
- 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) is an energetic material commonly found in environmental samples.
- Accurate and rapid detection of RDX is crucial for environmental monitoring, especially near training ranges.
- Existing methods for RDX detection can be time-consuming and require laboratory settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a field-deployable surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor for detecting RDX in environmental water.
- To assess the sensor's performance under various environmental conditions and compare it with standard analytical methods.
- To demonstrate the feasibility of on-site, real-time RDX monitoring.
Main Methods:
- Development of a portable SPR sensor system for RDX detection.
- Validation of the SPR sensor using spiked natural water samples under laboratory conditions.
- Field deployment of the SPR sensor for monitoring RDX in downgradient wells near a grenade training range.
- Cross-validation of SPR results with the standard High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) method (EPA method 8330b).
Main Results:
- The SPR sensor accurately detected RDX at ppb concentrations, near the EPA limit of 2 ppb.
- Field analysis was completed in under 90 minutes per well, including setup and sampling.
- SPR analysis showed good agreement with HPLC, with accuracy within 1.6 ppb and relative standard deviation (RSD) better than 20%.
- The sensor operated effectively in temperatures ranging from 0 °C to 30 °C and demonstrated field deployability in both summer and winter conditions.
Conclusions:
- The field-deployable SPR sensor provides a rapid, accurate, and robust method for on-site RDX detection in environmental water.
- The 'Lab-in-a-Jeep' and 'Lab-on-a-sled' concepts highlight the sensor's versatility for continuous environmental monitoring.
- This technology enables timely environmental assessment and remediation efforts for RDX contamination.
