Dr. Amy Bauer

Reuse of fracking fluid is contingent on chemical and physical properties, which in turn are related to the chemical composition of the water. Waste water from fracking wells generally has high total solids content often in concert with salts, organic chemicals, metals and naturally-occurring radioactive materials. Often, the water must undergo a cleaning or dilution step before reuse or discharge. An online monitor for high levels of sulfate could be one component of an on-line recycling system of water in hydraulic fracturing processes and this study looks at Raman spectroscopy as a potential measurement technique for such a monitor.

Olive oil is among the most commonly adulterated food products. Raman spectroscopy has the potential to be utilized in measurements of olive oil to establish purity from adulteration with other, less expensive, oils. This application note reviews some of the most compelling data present in recent scientific literature to support this claim.