PLC-Driven Automation for Particle-Induced Gamma-Ray Emission PFAS Assays

PFAS are a family of environmentally persistent "forever" chemicals used across a broad range of commercial and industrial applications and have been identified as carcinogenic. The UMass Lowell Nuclear Physics Group has begun screening consumer products for PFAS by determining fluorine content via particle-induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE) spectroscopy, aiming to improve automated testing capabilities and create a turnkey PFAS screening facility. This goal involves constructing a new, dedicated beamline for UMass Lowell's 5.5 MeV Van de Graaff light-ion accelerator, including a PLC-based control system for monitoring experiment-critical vacuum gauges and precision motion of a custom-fabricated target holder capable of handling more than 70 samples at once. A Python-based user interface is being developed to allow researchers to initiate and monitor testing and data collection remotely from a control room, with feedback loops minimizing operator intervention during the experiment. This presentation will discuss the beamline layout and ongoing efforts to automate both control and monitoring while the beam is on target.