Instant identification of hydrocarbon spill types using laser-induced fluorescence and associated hyperspectral imaging

Abstract

Marine hydrocarbon (HC) spills seriously harm the marine ecosystem and necessitate the creation of effective cleanup strategies. For efficient treatment, it is crucial to accurately identify the type of HC implicated in the spill. Diesel oil, gasoline, lubrication oil, and waste oil were chosen as the experimental starting materials since they are prevalent HC kinds. This study reports on the facile differentiation of diesel fuel and gasoline to engine oil via induced fluorescence by a laser. The tested material was stimulated with a 450-nm blue laser source. The fluorescence characteristic of each tested HC spill sample was captured via a hyperspectral imaging camera. Diesel fuel could be identified via their unique fluorescence signatures at 470 nm and 515 nm. Gasoline was found to be a less photoluminescent active material, with characteristic signals at 465 nm and 585 nm. At 505 nm, lubricating oil had the typical fluorescence signal. On the whole study spectrum, there are no re-emitted frequencies for the waste oil. Fluorescence signals secured good discrimination between fuel and engine oil of HC chemical structures. Signal intensity can contribute further discrimination. Fluorescence intensity at selected photoluminescence wavelengths secured further grouping between fuel and oil. Our imaging approach would provide investigators with the ability to define the HC and choose a mitigation strategy for fast HC spill identification. Aerial systems with a customized common camera that only functions at a certain wavelength filter with our methodology based on laser-induced fluorescence may be effectively developed for HC spill detecting applications.