FIBEROPTIC EVANESCENT WAVE INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY OF GASES IN LIQUIDS

Silver halide optical fibers were used as attenuated total reflection elements for infrared evanescent wave spectroscopy of gases in liquids. The evanescent wave absorption spectra of chlorodifluoromethane (Freon‐22) and carbon dioxide gases (CO2) in water were studied and the dependence on vapor pressure of the gas and temperature was investigated. Absorption peaks were easily traced and correlated well with those in the literature. The use of the infrared (IR) fibers in the fiberoptic evanescent wave spectroscopy system bypasses the difficulty of ordinary IR spectroscopy related to the strong IR absorption of most liquid solvents, and provides a flexible, easy, and inexpensive way of determining the presence and concentration of gases in liquids to within about 5% accuracy.