The long term objective is to produce an inexpensive, easy to use, portable readout device for existing fiber optic sensors or "optrodes". The readout instrument, in conjunction with the optrodes will be used to detect and monitor energy related substances of environmental concern. The readout instrument will be versatile enough to accommodate a large number of different optrodes and hence will be capable of detecting a large variety of substances. The specific goal of the work proposed is to determined the feasibility of adapting our portable fluorimeter design for use with the optrodes. This will include analysis of the optrode performance using incandescent illumination and analysis of fluorimeter performance in a dual wavelength readout mode. In order to be successful the sensitivity of the portable instrument must approach that of a raman spectrometer.
