Development of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy monitoring of fuel markers to prevent fraud

Timothy Wilkinson; John Clarkson; Peter C. White; Nicholas Meakin; Ken McDonald

doi:10.1117/12.2018389

29 May 2013 Development of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy monitoring of fuel markers to prevent fraud

Timothy Wilkinson, John Clarkson, Peter C. White, Nicholas Meakin, Ken McDonald

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8710, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XIV; 87100G (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2018389
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2013, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Abstract

Governments often tax fuel products to generate revenues to support and stimulate their economies. They also subsidize the cost of essential fuel products. Fuel taxation and subsidization practices are both subject to fraud. Oil marketing companies also suffer from fuel fraud with loss of legitimate sales and additional quality and liability issues. The use of an advanced marking system to identify and control fraud has been shown to be effective in controlling illegal activity. DeCipher has developed surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy as its lead technology for measuring markers in fuel to identify and control malpractice. SERS has many advantages that make it highly suitable for this purpose. The SERS instruments are portable and can be used to monitor fuel at any point in the supply chain. SERS shows high specificity for the marker, with no false positives. Multiple markers can also be detected in a single SERS analysis allowing, for example, specific regional monitoring of fuel. The SERS analysis from fuel is also quick, clear and decisive, with a measurement time of less than 5 minutes. We will present results highlighting our development of the use of a highly stable silver colloid as a SERS substrate to measure the markers at ppb levels. Preliminary results from the use of a solid state SERS substrate to measure fuel markers will also be presented.

Citation Download Citation

Timothy Wilkinson, John Clarkson, Peter C. White, Nicholas Meakin, and Ken McDonald "Development of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy monitoring of fuel markers to prevent fraud", Proc. SPIE 8710, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XIV, 87100G (29 May 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2018389

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