Intelligent Unmanned Monitoring of Remediated Sites

61066 Hazardous waste characterization, remediation, and monitoring are key missions for DOE. Conventional approaches involve cumbersome sample collection and laboratory analysis. This is time intensive and very costly, in part because of the need for experts. Crucial long-term, continuous monitoring of sites to insure that wastes do not migrate is not currently feasible. This project will develop a smart, cost-effective system for autonomous, real-time characterization and quantitative analysis of hazardous chemicals in a variety of matrices. Because of its built-in smart spectral interpretation capabilities and self-diagnostic functions, the device will report continuously without the need for experts or on-site technicians. In Phase I, a test demonstration proved the ability of the smart spectral analysis approach to detect the target contaminants (PCE and TCE) in isolation and in real-world spectra taken from a mixture of materials from a typical remediation target site. Phase II will create a prototype instrument and field test it. Design recommendations will be developed for a next generation of instruments incorporating this smart analysis technology, for use with both hazardous waste evaluation and monitoring, and for application to water quality assurance, biohazard containment, and many other areas. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: A new class of tools for toxic waste site evaluation and monitoring should be attractive to markets in both government agencies and industry. This technology will lead to wholly new and inexpensive mass-market tools for increased public safety and more responsible industrial processes