High-sensitivity detection of hazardous SO(2) using 266 nm UV laser.

Pulsed laser resonant photoacoustic spectroscopy was applied for detection of highly toxic SO(2) with 266 nm as the excitation source. An extra-cavity longitudinal resonant cell, was designed and fabricated to enhance the sensitivity of the system, which is capable of detecting the trace amount of SO(2). As a process of signal-to-noise ratio optimization, the parametric dependence of the PA signal was carried out and the sensitivity achieved with our system was as low as 4 ppb, which is considered to be a sufficient level for the detection of ambient SO(2) in the atmosphere. This study could be an antecedent for the design of a portable SO(2) sensor.