Application Notes: General

This 60-minute webinar highlights practical approaches to FTIR analysis from raw materials through to final product testing. Key topics include GLP-1 peptide analysis, pharmacopoeia compliance, food fraud detection, and protein stability assessment using advanced sampling accessories. The session is ideal for formulation scientists, QA/QC teams, and FTIR users in pharma, biotech, and food industries looking to enhance their analytical capabilities.

This free resource from Specac explores how FTIR spectroscopy helps stabilise GLP-1 protein therapies by providing rapid, label-free insights into structural integrity across both solid and liquid formulations. It enables R&D and QC teams to detect aggregation and misfolding early, streamline workflows, and generate audit-ready data to meet global standards.

Dry reforming of methane (DRM) converts methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) - two major greenhouse gases - into syngas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen used to make fuels and chemicals. To improve this process, researchers studied how gases interact with a nickel–ruthenium catalyst on cerium oxide nanorods using in-situ DRIFTS, an advanced infrared technique. With a high-temperature chamber, they tracked surface changes from 50 °C to 450 °C in real time. The findings help guide the development of better DRM catalysts, supporting cleaner energy production and smarter use of greenhouse gases. Read more below in our application note.

Raman spectroscopy enables fast, nondestructive estimation of amine value in epoxy hardeners, validated against titration for quality control.

Quickly determine fat content in olive pomace using NIR spectroscopy—fast, chemical-free, and cost-effective analysis in seconds to optimize oil extraction efficiency.

Screen fenthion in olive oil with SERS after simple extraction—sensitive to better than the 1 ppm regulatory limit.

Verify edible oil identity in seconds with handheld Raman (Mira P) and PCA—fast, nondestructive identification testing with no sample preparation

Quickly determine olive oil quality parameters and detect adulteration using NIR spectroscopy—fast, chemical-free, and cost-saving analysis compared to traditional methods.

All food products should be of trustworthy quality and purity, not just for consumer safety but also to ensure product authenticity and the accuracy of product labels. This is especially important for olive oils, of which there are many different types based on quality (e.g. refined, extra virgin, etc.). In some circumstances, high quality oils can be adulterated with other lower quality olive oils or oils from a different source, like canola or soybean.

Efficient and reliable sample preparation is essential for food manufacturers and contract laboratories tasked with delivering accurate, regulatory-compliant analytical data. From elemental testing to nutritional profiling, laboratories must manage increasingly complex matrices while maintaining fast turnaround times and data integrity. This paper explores how microwave sample preparation technologies—including digestion, extraction, and hydrolysis—support high-throughput food and feed analysis. It will also address the “total workflow” approach that ultimately helps labs reduce processing time, improve data quality, and enhance operational efficiency across a wide range of applications. Light Labs, a modern analytical testing facility committed to food safety and lab efficiency, is also featured for how they leverage single reaction chamber (SRC) microwave technology to streamline trace metals analysis.

Pt-Co, Hazen, and APHA color are three different terms referring to the same color analysis procedure often used to assess the yellowness of water samples. In this analysis a mixture of cobalt chloride and potassium hexachloroplatinate(IV) is prepared and subsequently diluted by varying amounts to form an array of yellow to almost colorless standards, as described in ASTM D1209 and ISO 6271:2015.

The human eye is able to collect the light reflected off a surface, leading to the perception of color. Since the color range we can see covers the aptly named visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum (400 – 700 nm), UV-Visible spectrophotometers are often used for color analysis.

Discover the unique benefits of PerkinElmer's NexION® 5000 multi-quadrupole ICP-MS for the direct analysis of trace elements in open-ocean seawater.

For the direct analysis of trace elements in coastal seawater, uncover how PerkinElmer’s NexION® 2200 ICP-MS is the ideal solution for this application.

Iodine is crucial for health, but imbalances can cause thyroid issues. See how the NexION® 1100 ICP-MS meets GB/T-5750.5-2023 standards for iodine in drinking water.

This study shows the NexION® 1100 ICP-MS meets or exceeds China GB/T-5750.6-2023 standards for multi-element drinking water analysis.

See how PerkinElmer’s NexION® 1100 ICP-MS meets/exceeds detection limit requirements in drinking water standards with its use of a single, universal collision-reaction gas.

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is an indispensable technique, especially as modern lab workflows grow increasingly demanding. To meet these demands, the PerkinElmer NexION® 1100 ICP-MS instrument boasts design innovations and protocols that help extend instrument uptime and throughput.

Discover how the PerkinElmer NexION® 1100 ICP-MS excels in multi-element detection, addressing interferences and meeting/exceeding ISO standards for drinking water.

Tiny Wearable Raman Spectrometers for Direct and SERS Detections for the Real World!

High-salinity matrices are traditionally difficult to analyze at ultra-trace levels due to matrix interferences, instrument drift, and sample preparation requirements. This article provides insight into innovative features that enable accurate, stable, and contamination-free measurement of trace metals without labor-intensive pre-concentration steps.

Advanced Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and microscopy enable efficient material identification, quality control, and troubleshooting throughout the packaging value chain. This article highlights modern tools like PerkinElmer’s Spectrum Two Polymer ID Analyzer and Spotlight™ Aurora FTIR Microscope, which streamline raw material analysis, resolve multilayer laminate issues, and support circular economy goals through improved recycling and microplastics characterization.

This note details a microwave digestion method for Li-ion cathode samples, enabling accurate elemental analysis through ICP-OES with minimal sample loss.

Boost reliability and extend calibration cycles with Heartbeat Tech—smart, in-situ verification that meets strict regulations and simplifies audit readiness.

Raman spectroscopy reveals structural changes in protein formulations, helping assess stability in high-concentration biotherapeutics for safer drug delivery.

Discover the latest ICP-MS best practices in Spectroscopy’s “Advances in ICP-MS” supplement. Explore solutions for ultra-trace elemental analysis, from optimizing nebulizer designs to mitigating contamination risks from reagents, labware, microplastics, and microbes.

The NexION® 5000 multi-quad ICP-MS offers direct, high-sensitivity analysis of trace impurities in high-purity molybdenum, ensuring accurate and reliable results.

With nearly 92% of on-instrument time dedicated to analysis, the NexION® 1100 ICP-MS enhances lab productivity by reducing downtime and maintenance.