Terahertz prototype for air pollutants detection

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Moffa, Candida, Curcio, Alessandro, Merola, Camilla, Orsini, Vittoria Maria, Francescone, Daniele, Magboo, Fernando Jr. Piamonte, Magi, Marco, Coppola, Massimiliano, Giuliano, Lucia, Migliorati, Mauro, Zollo, Giuseppe, Reverberi, Massimo, Mattiello, Leonardo, Petrarca, Massimo
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866916917096218624
author Moffa, Candida
Curcio, Alessandro
Merola, Camilla
Orsini, Vittoria Maria
Francescone, Daniele
Magboo, Fernando Jr. Piamonte
Magi, Marco
Coppola, Massimiliano
Giuliano, Lucia
Migliorati, Mauro
Zollo, Giuseppe
Reverberi, Massimo
Mattiello, Leonardo
Petrarca, Massimo
author_facet Moffa, Candida
Curcio, Alessandro
Merola, Camilla
Orsini, Vittoria Maria
Francescone, Daniele
Magboo, Fernando Jr. Piamonte
Magi, Marco
Coppola, Massimiliano
Giuliano, Lucia
Migliorati, Mauro
Zollo, Giuseppe
Reverberi, Massimo
Mattiello, Leonardo
Petrarca, Massimo
contents In this work, we propose a prototype set-up exploiting terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) to investigate gaseous compounds. The system is portable and allows to perform remote measurements. We used the prototype to characterise for the first time in literature over a broad THz range, pure dichloromethane and chloroform, two pollutants known as very short-lived substances (VSLS) that strongly contribute to ozone depletion. The THz range allows selectively detecting their absorption lines related to the rotational molecular motion for which we also present the theoretical confirmation. Then, we investigate the optical response of a multi-component mixture achieved with the two aforementioned chlorine-based compounds mixed with two widely distributed volatile pollutants (acetone and methanol). For these first measurements, we developed the set-up specifically for laboratory condition in which the substances are directly injected into the gas-cell circuit. Finally, we modified the prototype to ensure that the ambient atmosphere is drawn directly into the gas cell via a long pipe and a suction system opportunely developed. The analysis of the mixtures in both laboratory and in-field conditions demonstrates that the prototype together with the approach employed in this work can simultaneously identify and quantify single components in the atmosphere. The results obtained open up new possibilities for the development and applications of an efficient portable THz-based sensor for the remote detection of multi-component environmental contaminants.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_23956
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Terahertz prototype for air pollutants detection
Moffa, Candida
Curcio, Alessandro
Merola, Camilla
Orsini, Vittoria Maria
Francescone, Daniele
Magboo, Fernando Jr. Piamonte
Magi, Marco
Coppola, Massimiliano
Giuliano, Lucia
Migliorati, Mauro
Zollo, Giuseppe
Reverberi, Massimo
Mattiello, Leonardo
Petrarca, Massimo
Applied Physics
Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics
Instrumentation and Detectors
Optics
In this work, we propose a prototype set-up exploiting terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) to investigate gaseous compounds. The system is portable and allows to perform remote measurements. We used the prototype to characterise for the first time in literature over a broad THz range, pure dichloromethane and chloroform, two pollutants known as very short-lived substances (VSLS) that strongly contribute to ozone depletion. The THz range allows selectively detecting their absorption lines related to the rotational molecular motion for which we also present the theoretical confirmation. Then, we investigate the optical response of a multi-component mixture achieved with the two aforementioned chlorine-based compounds mixed with two widely distributed volatile pollutants (acetone and methanol). For these first measurements, we developed the set-up specifically for laboratory condition in which the substances are directly injected into the gas-cell circuit. Finally, we modified the prototype to ensure that the ambient atmosphere is drawn directly into the gas cell via a long pipe and a suction system opportunely developed. The analysis of the mixtures in both laboratory and in-field conditions demonstrates that the prototype together with the approach employed in this work can simultaneously identify and quantify single components in the atmosphere. The results obtained open up new possibilities for the development and applications of an efficient portable THz-based sensor for the remote detection of multi-component environmental contaminants.
title Terahertz prototype for air pollutants detection
topic Applied Physics
Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics
Instrumentation and Detectors
Optics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.23956