Total synchronous fluorescence scan spectra of petroleum products

Extending the two-dimensional synchronous fluorescence scan to a three-dimensional total synchronous fluorescence scan (TSFS) spectral measurement gives the total synchronous fluorescence characteristics of a multifluorophoric sample at various possible wavelength intervals (Deltalambda), which could help to characterize multifluorophoric systems better. TSFS spectra of petroleum products such as diesel, kerosene, petrol, engine oil etc., available in the Indian market, are reported. Fluorescence in these samples is due to the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of various ring sizes. The TSFS contour plot profiles of the neat samples measured at right-angle geometry is a result of various energy-degrading photophysical processes such as inner filter effect, light attenuation, resonance energy transfer, collisional quenching etc. TSFS plots make it easy to obtain the optimized Deltalambda of an unknown sample of analytical interest. TSFS and the excitation-emission matrix (EEM) techniques are similar, but the contour profiles generated are different. The response of the TSFS contour profiles to dilution is different from that in the EEM contour profiles. Thus, TSFS can provide an alternative way of presenting the fluorescence response of concentrated multifluorophoric samples.