Fluorescence spectroscopy techniques for water quality monitoring

Water contamination is a global problem that affect developed and sub-developed countries. Particularly groundwater pollution, as a result of human activities and natural contamination, has become one of the most debated environmental issues. Water contamination can be an important factor in limiting available water resources. Its degradation represent a serious problem which affect the environment causing socio-economic unbalances. For this reason a strategy for better understanding these processes is represented by monitoring activities with appropriate and convenient analytical techniques and time and space action. Particularly, fluorescence spectroscopy can be applied to a wide range of problems and the advances in fluorescence technology are decreasing the cost and complexity of previously complex instruments. The implementation of instruments capable to be used directly in the field (small size, reduced weight, autonomous) that can supply a prompt analysis of the sample to be investigated is a request emerging both from the scientific or legal operators. In this context the new laser spectrofluorometric apparatus CASPER (Compact and Advanced laser SPEctrometeR – ENEA Patent) can be a useful device whose measurement has emerged as an effective, rapid, and low cost technique to monitoring groundwater quality.