Method and apparatus for detecting gem-polyhalogenated hydrocarbons

Claim 1

A method of detecting gem-polyhalogenated hydrocarbons, the method comprising the steps of: combining a pyridine reaction constituent selected from the group consisting of pyridine and derivatives thereof with an aqueous solution of a hindered nitrogen base to form a reaction mixture, the reaction mixture comprising the pyridine reaction constituent at a concentration in the range of between 60 to about 96 percent by volume of the reaction mixture, the remaining volume comprising the aqueous solution such that the hindered nitrogen base is present in the reaction mixture at a concentration in the range of between about 0.01-0.05 molar, the hindered nitrogen base being selected from the group consisting of the formula: ##STR5## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are substituents independently selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl, hydroxy-substituted lower alkyl, phenyl, lower alkyl-substituted phenyl, and phenyl-substituted lower alkyl; reacting the reaction mixture with a gem-polyhalogenated hydrocarbon to form a reaction product which is at least one of fluorescent and chromogenic; illuminating the reaction product with an illumination beam; and detecting the gem-polyhalogenated hydrocarbon by at least one of the fluorescence and absorbance of the reaction product.

Claim 2

A method of detecting gem-polyhalogenated hydrocarbons, the method comprising the steps of: combining a pyridine reaction constituent selected from the group consisting of pyridine and derivatives thereof with an aqueous solution of a hindered nitrogen base to form a reaction mixture, the reaction mixture comprising the pyridine reaction constituent at a concentration in the range of between 60 to about 96 percent by volume of the reaction mixture, the remaining volume comprising the aqueous solution such that the hindered nitrogen base is present in the reaction mixture at a concentration in the range of between about 0.01-0.05 molar, the hindered nitrogen base being selected from the group consisting of the formula: ##STR5## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are substituents independently selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl, hydroxy-substituted lower alkyl, phenyl, lower alkyl-substituted phenyl, and phenyl-substituted lower alkyl; reacting the reaction mixture with a gem-polyhalogenated hydrocarbon to form a reaction product which is at least one of fluorescent and chromogenic; illuminating the reaction product with an illumination beam; and detecting the gem-polyhalogenated hydrocarbon by at least one of the fluorescence and absorbance of the reaction product.

Claim 17

An apparatus for monitoring the concentration of gem-polyhalogenated hydrocarbons in a sample fluid, the apparatus comprising: a fiber optic through which an illumination beam from an associated light source is transmitted from a first end of the fiber optic to a second end of the fiber optic; a reaction mixture held adjacent to the second end of the fiber optic such that light from the illumination beam emanating from the second end of the fiber optic illuminates a portion of the reaction mixture causing it to produce a fluorescent signal related to the concentration of gem-polyhalogenated hydrocarbons when the second end of the fiber optic is immersed in a sample fluid, the reaction mixture comprising an aqueous solution of a pyridine reaction constituent selected from the group consisting of pyridine and derivatives thereof at a concentration in the range of between about 60 to about 96 percent by volume of the reaction mixture, and a hindered nitrogen base at a concentration in the range of between about 0.01 to 0.05 molar, the hindered nitrogen base being selected from the group consisting of the formula ##STR7## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are substituents independently selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl, hydroxy-substituted lower alkyl, phenyl, lower alkyl-substituted phenyl, and phenyl-substituted lower alkyl; means attached to the second end of the fiber optic for holding the reaction mixture adjacent the second end of the fiber optic and for separating the reaction mixture from a sample fluid whenever the second end of the fiber optic is immersed in a sample fluid; means adjacent to the first end of the fiber optic for separating light from the associated light source from the fluorescent signal collected and transmitted by the fiber optic; and detection means adjacent to the separation means for collecting and analyzing the fluorescent signal generated by the reaction mixture.

Claim 18

An apparatus for monitoring the concentration of gem-polyhalogenated hydrocarbons in a sample fluid, the apparatus comprising: a fiber optic through which an illumination beam from an associated light source is transmitted from a first end of the fiber optic to a second end of the fiber optic; a reaction mixture held adjacent to the second end of the fiber optic such that light from the illumination beam emanating from the second end of the fiber optic illuminates a portion of the reaction mixture causing it to produce a fluorescent signal related to the concentration of gem-polyhalogenated hydrocarbons when the second end of the fiber optic is immersed in a sample fluid, the reaction mixture comprising an aqueous solution of a pyridine reaction constituent selected from the group consisting of pyridine and derivatives thereof at a concentration in the range of between about 60 to about 96 percent by volume of the reaction mixture, and a hindered nitrogen base at a concentration in the range of between about 0.01 to 0.05 molar, the hindered nitrogen base being selected from the group consisting of the formula ##STR7## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are substituents independently selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl, hydroxy-substituted lower alkyl, phenyl, lower alkyl-substituted phenyl, and phenyl-substituted lower alkyl; means attached to the second end of the fiber optic for holding the reaction mixture adjacent the second end of the fiber optic and for separating the reaction mixture from a sample fluid whenever the second end of the fiber optic is immersed in a sample fluid; means adjacent to the first end of the fiber optic for separating light from the associated light source from the fluorescent signal collected and transmitted by the fiber optic; and detection means adjacent to the separation means for collecting and analyzing the fluorescent signal generated by the reaction mixture.