The contamination of groundwater by chlorinated hydrocarbons represents a severe environmental problem in both the public and private sectors.
Successful remediation requires long-term multipoint monitoring of pollutant levels at each site.
Ideally each point of the monitoring system should have independent , capability of periodic sampling and analyzing below-ground contaminant levels in situ. Recent efforts have demonstrated changes in the surface conduction and work function due to the reversible adsorption of molecular species on a noble metal surface have the potential of being used as the basis of sensitive detection instrumentation. This project will investigate the nature of the adsorption mechanism or mechanisms for various chlorinated hydrocarbons on a variety of noble metal surfaces under ambient conditions. The results would be used to develop sensing elements with performance characteristics suitable for use in the in situ chlorinated hydrocarbon monitoring system described. Lastly, an appropriate sensor would be interfaced to an underground in situ sampling system under development by others and tested in a laboratory simulation of field conditions.