Abstract: An enhanced infrared (IR) imaging based method for detecting volatile organic and hazardous vapors using the infrared spectral absorption properties of these vapors, and using a tunable infrared light source and a plurality of cameras tuned to particular frequency ranges to detect spectral absorption properties corresponding to the respective vapors. Illumination by an IR light source is used to enhance the visibility of vapor plumes in LWIR and MWIR cameras because ambient light may not have enough power in the specific absorption band of the VOC vapor. Plume regions are automatically determined by image and video processing methods by the system. Specific vapors can be detected by using tunable IR light sources because leaking plumes from a damaged component causes dark regions in images of LWIR and/or MWIR cameras depending on the absorption wavelength of the plume.