Fluorescence Spectroscopy: Part I Principles

Fluorescence spectroscopy is a noninvasive, nondestructive and highly sensitive technology that requires minimal sample pretreatment. Therefore, it is widely used in the study of soil components. This chapter describes the principles of luminescence of fluorescent substances and the fluorescence instrument used. In addition, the basic concepts of fluorescence efficiency, lifetime, intensity, polarization, and quenching, and environmental factors that affect the luminescence of fluorescent substances are also elaborated. Finally, recently developed fluorescence spectroscopy techniques commonly used in the detection of soil organic components are introduced, including fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy.