Ellen Miseo

This article presents our annual review of spectroscopy products introduced since May of 2022. Some of the products were introduced at Pittcon 2023, which was live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and some were introduced prior to that. The products introduced and described here illustrate that analytical chemistry is a diverse and thriving field, and that device manufacturers respond to the changing demands of the discipline.

After a two-year hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pittcon was once again hosted in-person. The 2023 conference took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it attracted approximately 5000 attendees and 2500 exhibitor personnel representing almost 500 exhibitors. Exhibitors ranged from major instrument companies to supplies and consumables, service laboratories, professional societies, and publications.

It was evident in the exhibit hall that everyone was interested in connecting in person. Whether it was professional colleagues that have worked together virtually over the past two years, or exhibitors and conference attendees being able to connect in-person for the first time, it was obvious that people missed the interpersonal communication and camaraderie that in-person conferences facilitated, and were glad to reunite with old personal friends and colleagues, while connecting with new conference attendees.

In addition to writing this article, one of my reasons for attending Pittcon was because of my role as an officer of a professional society. Something I noted while spending time in the booth was that there were a large number of students and new scientists who were stopping by and asking questions. It reinforces the general consensus that a live conference benefits young researchers, because it offers them the opportunity to become more engaged with the analytical community.

However, not everything was completely back to normal. A colleague who was scheduled to present in a session found himself chairing the session because the chair was unable to travel, due to his institution’s rules. That was also true of two speakers in the same session; as a result, the number of speakers in the session was reduced. This instance is only one example that highlights the point that, although it may seem like the world is back to a pre-Covid normality, it is not quite there yet.

There were some companies that had traditionally exhibited at Pittcon that were missing, but also new (to me) companies with interesting products. The trends noted last year—more dedicated analyzers and software that is fully integrated into laboratory operations—continues to be a theme in instrument development in 2023.

In particular, engineering teams were hard at work in the last year. There are new products in all the categories we usually review, and many of them are designed to perform important functions critical to the analytical laboratory application the products are meant to be used for. In particular, the Pittcon Today Excellence awardees appear to have some exciting engineering behind their recent developments.

Another interesting theme observed with the new products launched this year was that many instrument manufacturers were focused on shrinking the footprint of traditional instruments. Some of the products described this year are highlighted as having reduced footprints, which is in keeping with the demands to make laboratories and laboratory space more efficient.

At the small end of footprint reduction, handheld instruments are becoming increasingly common and being developed to solve more problems in the field.

This article will be broken into four sections: instrumentation; accessories; components; and software. In this review, a clear distinction between an accessory and component was made to avoid confusion. For this product review, an 

 is defined as a product that is designed to be used with a completed instrument, whereas a 

 is defined as a product that can be used to construct the instrument

With Pittcon being live this year rather than virtual, the Pittcon Today Excellence Awards returned as well. The awards criteria are based on true innovation. In each of the two categories based on company size, there were three awards: gold; silver; and bronze. This year, three spectroscopy products won awards.

In the annual sales over $10 million category, two of the three awards were in infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and both were microscopes. Bruker’s Hyperion II, an imaging microscope with the capability to combine laser imaging using quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs) with Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, took the Gold Award. The system is equipped with a focal plane array detector, but the novel aspect of this microscope is the optional QCL module that also relies on patented technology to eliminate artifacts that can be produced by typical laser sources.

The Silver Award went to Shimadzu for the AIRsight FT-IR/Raman combination microscope. The combination provides complementary spectroscopic information, and is designed to minimize the bench space that is used. The concept of having a microscope capable of performing both the FT-IR and Raman techniques is not novel, and academic publications, as well as patents and at least one semi-commercial product, have been described as possessing this capability in the past. But Shimadzu has made a commercial product, which also should appeal to the customer base, both for its functionality and for its smaller footprint than two instruments would produce. Also, of course, this approach allows the user to get complementary spectra from exactly the same spot.

In the under $10 million in annual sales category, ST Japan won the Gold Award for their LC-CollectIR product, an accessory that provided efficient analysis of components separated by liquid chromatography (LC). In a two-step process, the system eliminates the solvent from the LC, and deposits the eluent on a rotating germanium plate. The plate is then analyzed using IR.

As we did last year, we are providing tables with information on the products. We will not describe every entry in detail, but refer the reader to the information in the tables.

Table I lists those companies that submitted product descriptions and the categories where the new products are listed. There were almost 50 new products that are described in this roundup, and the first major category we will cover is instrumentation.

In the atomic instrumentation category, we highlight five interesting products (Table II). Following the trend in all instrumentation, the products are all billed as easy to use. Two are sample digestion systems from 

The one that is most interesting to me is the Radom 

 instrument. The MICAP-OES instrument does not require either argon or cooling water, because the instrument uses a microwave-generated plasma. The most appealing point about this instrument is that it is portable, and does not need any special support, making it ideal for those applications where a traditional instrument may not be appropriate.

Molecular spectroscopy encompasses UV-visible (UV-vis), near-infrared (NIR), mid-infrared (Mid-IR), and Raman. It is among these four categories we find the bulk of the new instrument offerings.

Starting with the UV-vis category (Table III), we find both traditional laboratory-based instruments and miniature instruments.

, a lab-based UV-vis spectrophotometer with a very large sample compartment for flexibility. The instrument seems to have as large a sample compartment as the Cary research instruments, but this instrument is designed with a small footprint.

 is a laboratory-based instrument designed to simplify analyses and be used by operators without extensive training. This is following a trend in laboratory instruments to design the software so that useful data is obtained without the operator being an expert.

The shrinking footprints trend we have seen in instrumentation is also the main feature of the other product introductions. All fall into the category of miniature spectrometers.

 is a fiber-coupled spectrometer that can be integrated into various systems.

Ocean Insight has introduced two instruments into this space. One is the 

, which can cover from the UV (200 nm) to the very NIR (1100 nm), and it is designed to provide thermal wavelength stability, which is a challenge for small instruments that might be used in non-ideal environments. The other Ocean offering, 

, has a similar spectral range and thermal stability, but it is designed to provide a higher spectral resolution.

An interesting new instrument from Open Instruments in Australia also falls into the UV-vis category. This instrument, 

, was originally designed for use in characterizing solar cells, but may present some interesting features making it applicable to other technical areas.

In the fluorescence category, one new product (see Table IV) entered the market. Applied NanoFluorescence introduced the 

, an instrument based on near-infrared fluorescence detected circular dichroism. According to the company, this instrument came out of developments for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to measure the enantiomers of single-walled carbon nanotubes.

In the vibrational spectroscopy category, we saw some noteworthy products that were introduced. Two of the three microscopes were discussed when we covered the Pittcon Today Excellence Awards, but there were a number of other interesting introductions.

Table V features the NIR products that were introduced over the past year. In particular, Metrohm has been busy with a number of introductions in the category. Metrohm has introduced a family of analyzers designed for process control, and have the option of sampling for solids or liquids. The 

In addition to the two analyzers mentioned above, Metrohm has also introduced the 

, which is a NIR instrument designed for inline process applications. It can monitor a variety of parameters at the same time, and has up to five sampling points.

The past year has brought some interesting devices to the market in the workhorse category of mid-infrared (see Table VI). We commented on the Bruker 

 in the discussion of the Pittcon awards, but Shimadzu also introduced the 

ABB has introduced a process instrument, the 

, for online measurements of contaminants in natural gas streams. The instrument is based on ABB’s unique laser absorption technology called Integrated Cavity Output Spectroscopy (ICOS).

Edinburgh Instruments has put a new entry into the crowded FT-IR area by introducing the 

 instrument. The specifications as noted on the Edinburgh website put this instrument right in the category of the midrange instruments, but what makes this instrument unique is the ability to do photoluminescence in the IR region.

, that is a photo-induced force microscope, and it provides high spatial resolution. This instrument is a new entry into the rapidly growing field of nano IR spectroscopy, which is designed to address the spot or feature size versus diffraction limit problem of traditional infrared microscopy.

Finally, for this category, Thermo Fisher Scientific has a new product, the 

. This device follows the trend to make footprints smaller and instruments more intuitive for the user, and is described as portable. The application space is the same as most other FT-IR instruments in polymers, pharmaceuticals, and materials.

Introductions in the Raman category, shown in Table VII, mirror those in the UV-vis category in that both laboratory-based research instruments and miniature instruments were introduced.

 integrated with a cryostat system from Montana Instruments to study material at low temperatures.

Another research instrument introduced this past year is the Thermo Fisher Scientific 

, a laboratory instrument with a reduced footprint that is designed to integrate with other analytical techniques.

Wasatch Photonics has two new offerings. The first, the 

 instruments, are small footprint devices that are user configurable and deliver research level performance. It can be configured with a variety of excitation wavelengths. Wasatch has also introduced the 

, a family of similar devices designed for OEM applications

, which joins the family of other IndiGo devices. This Raman instrument is designed with either 532 or 785 excitation, and fits in the palm of the user’s hand. It connects wirelessly to smartphones and tablets for field applications.

Imaging has become a general term to describe systems that produce a multidimensional data set regardless of how the sample is interrogated. That definition certainly applies to the instrument in this year’s category described in Table VIII.

 a family of X-ray analytical microscopes to address areas, such as archaeology and geology, where nondestructive analysis is necessary.

Another imaging instrument using an entirely different technology, the Phocuscan, is from 

, and it offers a standalone photocurrent microscope for applications in areas such as, but not limited to, nanotechnology and semiconductors.

The third imaging instrument—this one from Klar Scientific—is a photo-luminescent spectroscopic 

 with excitation from the deep UV to the NIR. It is modular in design, and allows the researcher to quickly change the configuration to meet the needs of the experiment.

Last year, we stated that the definition of an 

 was that it was designed to be used with a complete instrument compared to a component that becomes part of the instrument. We are continuing with that definition for this year, and Table IX describes the products in the accessory category.

Three of the accessories introduced in the past year are designed for FT-IR. The 

 from Jackfish SEC is a spectro-electrochemical cell and allows researchers to study electrochemical systems under flow. It is well-suited for surface-enhanced infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (SERIAS) applications. Pike Technologies has introduced a Peltier heated and cooled version of the 

 to study systems at elevated and reduced temperatures or in situations where precise temperature stability is needed. The third FT-IT accessory is the 

 from ST Japan that was described earlier when we discussed the Pittcon Excellence awards.

 have introduced the Apex 400 Automatic Hydraulic Pellet press. To round out the accessory category, Milestone has introduced an 

 to automate reagent addition and dilution and is especially useful to reduce operator exposure and provide consistency of results.

Under components, there are entries in a variety of areas as illustrated in Table X.

Agilent has introduced a number of supplies to simplify maintaining inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) systems. They include a new 

 to assure fixed volume introductions and 

assemblies. All four of these supplies are designed to improve analysis and minimize downtime.

 with a narrow spectral bandwidth especially suited for Raman spectroscopy.

Lumibird has introduced two neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) lasers. The first, the 

, is a high-power pumped laser suitable for dye/OPO pumping or laser induced fluorescence. The other introduction, the 

, is a compact laser, powered by 24 VDC or a battery, and is especially suited to LIBS analysis.

The last product in the laser category is a miniaturized 

 from Block Engineering. This miniaturized laser allows the transition from laboratory to handheld or field instruments.

Reflex Analytical also has an entry in the components category. They have introduced 

 in borosilicate glass, UV quartz, and NIR quartz materials for applications in micro and macro flow systems.

Our final entry in the components space, Spectrum Scientific, has introduced 

 with a vacuum UV optimized coating for use in the 120–200 nm range.

As some will tell you, instrument and data analysis software are more important than the actual hardware. Table XI shows the software packages introduced over the past year. LabVantage Solutions Inc. has introduced a new version of their 

, providing features and enhancements for the user. For industry specific applications, they have also introduced the 

 that creates a seamless platform from evidence collection and storage, laboratory testing, case compilation, and proceedings while providing robust quality management.

The next two software systems are instrument-based and provide capabilities to control and process data. Metrohm has introduced the 

 software to simplify the control and analysis of Metrohm/B&W Tek NIR and Raman instruments. WITec has introduced the 

 for Raman and correlative microscopy. This new package adds user management and the ability to define distinct hardware setups to streamline recurring experiments.

Finally, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. have introduced 

. This release expands the KnowItAll capabilities to include a patented solution to analyze vapor-phase IR spectra of synthetic cannabinoids, adaptive searching and more support for MS and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).

The trends in instrumentation and software continue to see products that are smaller, easier to use, and application-specific. Although general purpose instruments still hold a big share of the analytical instrument business, it was evident as I walked the aisles of Pittcon that many of the products were geared toward increasing productivity and ease of use, to the point that specific workflows for particular analyses are provided.

These trends might be pushing the users to treat instruments and software as answer boxes. This presents a problem. If you do not understand how a device works, what the steps in the procedure were, and what to expect, then you may not recognize a problem.

A class of exhibitors at Pittcon, which are not usually described in these reviews, are the professional societies and the publishers. The original name of the conference was The Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy. There were a number of organizations represented at the conference that fall under that banner. They include the American Chemical Society, The Coblentz Society, the Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Society for Applied Spectroscopy, all of whom are committed to educating the user base of analytical instruments particularly spectroscopy. These organizations, along with the publishers that were also represented, such as John Wiley & Sons, LabX Media Group, and MJH Life Sciences (the parent organization of this publication) strive to also provide useful and educational information for the instrument user.

I would highly encourage the reader of this article to take advantage of these resources. Yes, follow the instructions provided by an instrument company for the use of the instrument, but tap the professional societies and publishers for resources to gain more information, or become part of a community where everyone speaks the same technical language and is willing to share their expertise.

If your organization introduces a new product in the coming months, please submit the 2024 

https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/spectroscopy-new-product-review

. We will be accepting submissions as the products are introduced and include the appropriate products in the 2024 review.

 is a consultant in vibrational spectroscopy and spectroscopy education. She is the past president of both the Coblentz Society and the Society for Applied Spectroscopy, and serves on the 

 Editorial Advisory board. Direct correspondence to: 

Articles

Our annual review of new products for atomic and molecular spectroscopy, including details by category and highlights of overarching trends.

2023 Review of  Spectroscopic Instrumentation

We present our annual review of products introduced at Pittcon or during the previous year, broken down by the following categories: atomic spectroscopy, ultraviolet and visible (UV-vis), near-infrared (NIR), infrared (mid-IR), Raman, imaging, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), accessories, and components.

Between the online Pittcon event of 2021 and the time this review was written, a lot has changed. We all anticipated an in-person Pittcon for 2022; unfortunately, that did not happen because of a surge in Covid cases in the southeastern United States where the event was going to be held. As a result, Pittcon 2022 was converted into a virtual conference. But the fact that one of the “introduction points” for new spectroscopy instruments did not happen live did not stop the launch of exciting new spectroscopic instruments in the past year.

However, it does seem that the Covid pandemic may have reduced the number of recent new product introductions. In our 2021 review, we reported on almost 100 products introduced by more than 50 companies. This year, the number of both companies and products was significantly smaller. Table I lists the companies that responded to our request for information about new products introduced over the past 12 months.

Considering the volume of products usually covered in these reviews, it seems clear that we have the pandemic to blame for the lower number of products we see this year. Over the past two years, engineering teams have had to cope with product development in either a socially distanced or remote way. The ability of such product development teams to function during the pandemic is remarkable, and it especially impressive that some teams were able to introduce several new instruments to the market.

A few live analytical chemistry and spectroscopy conferences were held in the latter half of 2021 as we thought the pandemic was winding down. For those who attended, it was gratifying to speak face-to-face with each other. Some of the products mentioned here and some in our 2021 review were available to see in person at those shows. So far this year, one in-person conference has occurred, the American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring 2022 conference in San Diego, and some of the new equipment mentioned in this year’s review was shown at that event.

Over the last few years, we have seen more analyzer tools entering the market, looking to solve specific questions. Several new products this year are extending this approach to agricultural and environmental applications. Additionally, we noted in the last few years how software is evolving into a true laboratory partner. By integrating more artificial intelligence (AI) and by targeting specific applications, such as microplastics analysis, software is becoming a more powerful tool, especially when directed at one application even when the core hardware technology may be similar to that of previous generations. Even the visualization of data is being used powerfully to extract trends and subtle changes.

In this year’s review, we have taken a somewhat different approach than in years past. The tables contain a significant amount of information about the products, but the text only highlights the unique products or trends. As a result, our discussion does not cover every product in detail. For detailed information regarding the individual products, refer to the tables throughout this review.

Our discussion is broken into four sections: instrumentation, accessories, components, and software. The difference between an accessory and a component is that an accessory is designed to be used with a completed instrument whereas a component can be used to construct an instrument. The tables associated with this article are grouped (when possible) by spectral range and application.

Although some of the new instruments introduced in the past year are more general in their application, many of the new products are geared to special applications. We have seen this trend toward specific task-oriented tools in recent years, as we have noted previously.

Table II contains information on all the atomic products that were submitted. On the instrument side of the “Atomic Spectroscopy” category, Radom Corporation has introduced a new inductively coupled plasma (ICP)–optical emission spectroscopy (OES) instrument that is argon-free, operating with microwave-sustained atmospheric plasma. This device is so small that it is considered portable. Another laboratory-based ICP instrument is the Solation ICP-mass spectrometry (MS) system from Advion Interchim Scientific. The design appears to be good for complex samples, which could broaden the utility of the instrument and minimize sample preparation. Applied Rigaku Technologies, Inc. introduced a new X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument.

Agilent Technologies has introduced an environmentally friendly coolant fluid, and Hübner has introduced a new laser source for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).

In the “UV-vis” category (Table III), several interesting products have been introduced into the market this past year. Although all of them are full instruments, they can be divided by form factor and application.

PerkinElmer and Thermo Fisher Scientific have both introduced laboratory-based UV-vis instruments. Perkin Elmer’s Lambda 365 and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Evolution products are designed for general spectroscopy applications and provide flexibility because they can use various accessories for maximum problem-solving capability. Other instruments, like the Thermo Fisher Scientific Nanodrop, are designed for laboratories where the sample volumes are very small, and the applications are typically customized to the life sciences.

Technobis Crystallization Systems BV has introduced a system, the Crystal16 version 3, with a single application: to measure changes in crystallization and crystallization behavior.

On the other end of the form factor consideration, Ocean Insight and Watersight have introduced small-form-factor devices. The Ocean Insight SR spectrometer continues in the same way as most of Ocean Insight’s products, with a high speed, compact design.

An interesting new entry in the market from Watersight is a self-contained visible and very near-infrared (NIR) device, called Aquaring, that can continuously monitor water quality by collecting spectral data and sending it to the cloud for analysis.

Moving to the “NIR” spectral region (Table IV), we again see two types of devices, dedicated analyzers, and small sensors that can be applied in a variety of situations.

Nanosens AS has introduced three NIR devices, a feed analyzer, a milk analyzer, and an on-line process monitor for industrial use. Norsk Elektro Optikk AS has introduced an NIR hyperspectral imager designed for drone applications that operates in a very wide spectral range from 400 to 2500 nm.

For the smaller NIR engines, there are a number of interesting devices. Ibsen Photonics introduced the Pebble, a vis-NIR device that operates out to 1100 nm and is designed for original equipment manufacturer (OEM) applications. InnoSpectra has extended the range of its NIRScan device, based on the TI digital light processor out to 2150 nm. Manti Spectra has two new offerings: the MantiSpectra SpectraPod and the MantiSpectra OEM solution, both based on the MantiSpectra ChipSense technology and meant for investigation and OEM applications. These four devices illustrate a trend in the NIR world, which is that the development of such devices can be incorporated into monitoring systems to take advantage of the growing NIR applications, and the cloud-based data analysis approach to move the spectroscopy directly to the location of the sample.

In the “mid-infrared (mid-IR)” category (Table V), the traditional suppliers have been busy, and there are several interesting new products. There is a dedicated Silica Analyzer from PerkinElmer, a new general-purpose Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometer from Shimadzu, and a nanoscale IR system from Bruker.

The Bruker mid-IR instrument addresses the growing market to gain IR information from samples that are well below the optical diffraction limit. It incorporates atomic force microscopy (AFM)-IR modes, along with modes typically found in scanning probe microscopy.

A particularly interesting device from the company NLIR Aps is the S2050-130 kHz. This device is a mid-IR grating spectrometer that works in the 2.0–5.0 μm (5000–2000 cm

) region of the spectrum. It is designed for fast processes and uses the NLIR upconversion technology and a silicon charge-coupled device (CCD) to provide a unique device that can provide data in the mid-IR region.

Thermo Fisher Scientific has introduced the RaptIR for traditional FT-IR microscope analyses. One could debate whether this device belongs here or in the “Accessories” category because you would still need to buy an FT-IR spectrometer for this device to function effectively. However, it is designed to be a workhorse microscope that one would expect to find in a well-equipped industrial spectroscopy laboratory. It also incorporates task-specific workflows (such as microplastic analysis).

Over the past few years, the growth in Raman spectroscopy has been noted multiple times. This continued growth accelerated this year, as Table VI shows, with some exciting new entries. For laboratory-based research instruments, there are two entries that can expand applications into new areas. IS-Instruments has introduced a deep UV Raman system with excitation at 228 nm, capitalizing on the increased Raman scatter (and fluorescence avoidance) with short wavelength excitation. WITec Gmbh has a new cryogenic Raman imaging microscope.

Elodiz, Ltd. and Ocean Insight have introduced devices that are more geared to field and process applications. The two introductions by Elodiz use multiple laser lines and fiber optic probes, whereas the Ocean Insight product continues in the small footprint vein and is designed to detect Raman shifts from 150 to 3400 cm

Moving on to the “Imaging” category (Table VII) of instruments and components, we have a broad set of products, including several cameras. Greateyes GmbH, Horiba Scientific, Nireos SRL, and Princeton Infrared Technologies, Inc. have all introduced new cameras for imaging applications. EDAX has introduced a new backscatter diffraction detector. Spectrolight Inc. has a new broadband tunable filter that can cover from the UV through to the NIR.

As a complete imaging system, Monstr Sense Technologies has introduced a laser scanning microscope called the Nessie.

The one new product in the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) category (Table VIII) is a smaller-footprint NMR spectrometer from JEOL USA.

In the “Mass Spectrometry” category (Table IX), two new devices introduced by Refeyn, Ltd, capitalize on the mass photometry technique developed at Oxford University. One of the new instruments is designed to provide automation to the mass photometry technique, whereas the other is optimized for adeno-associated virus characterization.

In the “Accessories” category, new products have been introduced to simplify sample analysis. REFLEX Analytical Corp. and Nanosens AS have both introduced new cells and cuvettes (Table X). S.T. Japan-Europe GmbH has introduced an improved MicroVice while Specac now provides a heated puck for the Quest. An interesting new product from Specac is the Arrow, which is a disposable silicon ATR accessory.

 as products that would be part of a complete instrument; with that definition, as Table XI indicates, the category includes a disparate set of items.

Armadillo SIA has introduced two new optical fiber products while Trace Matters Scientific has a new flexible ion guide. Sources are one type of component where there have been a number of new entries, including products from Pyroistech S.L, Micro X-Ray, Inc., and Edinburgh Instruments.

Anyone who uses instruments recognizes that software is the human interface to the devices. Typically, discussions about new products tend to minimize the effort to develop instrument control software—especially for tried-and-true analytical techniques—in comparison to the focus on the hardware. Many of the instruments mentioned above have new software platforms in addition to the hardware. Both Ocean Insight and Optiwave Systems have introduced driver and instrument control software for their products (Table XII). We are also including spectral libraries in the software category. S.T. Japan-Europe GmbH has introduced three new libraries, a microplastics IR library, and a Raman microplastics database. They also have introduced a Raman database for psychoactive and illicit drugs.

Many of the products discussed in this review seem to follow trends that we have seen in analytical instruments in recent years. The products are becoming smaller, easier to use, and, in many cases, specific to a particular application rather than for a general purpose. Likewise, tools that are making data easier to acquire or interpret are a major thrust of instrument companies and those approaches will increase the productivity of users in the laboratories. Although we applaud these trends, we hope that the audiences for these products are cognizant of how each device works, what data it should deliver, and how to interpret the data—rather than relying on a “black box” approach. The real danger with such easy-to-use tools lies in relying on the vendor to supply the analytical result; a critical part of integrating any analytical instrument into a laboratory is validation.

With the pandemic waning (we hope), in the coming year we believe that the pace of product introductions will pick up. We look forward to seeing new devices in person at conferences.

If your organization introduces a new product in the coming months, please tell us right away by submitting the 2023 Spectroscopy New Product form, which can be found at 

. We will accept submissions as products are introduced and will include the appropriate products in the 2023 review.

’s Editorial Advisory Board and is a Product Manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific in Madison, Wisconsin. Direct correspondence to: 

2022 Review of Spectroscopic Instrumentation

	On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, leaving the inhabitants without clean water, food, utilities and transportation. As you read this, the infrastructure is slowly being restored. The news you hear, however, doesn’t indicate the outsized impact on scientists and their families. The Society for Applied Spectroscopy and Coblentz Society are trying to help.

	Take a moment to look at your workplace as a scientist and researcher. Your work is specialized and you have spent years training people, acquiring instrumentation, and building laboratory infrastructure. Then imagine yourself picking up and leaving with just a few days’ notice. Now, consider that your equipment and labs are flooded and the power was out for many weeks after the storm. You have modern analytical instruments that have been designed for constant temperature and humidity environments. They have been exposed to extended periods of high humidity (>90%) for weeks on end. Mold is growing on surfaces. Puddles of moisture are collecting within the instruments. Other instruments were destroyed by brownouts. Even so, leaving is still not an option, because of all the investment you have made to develop a lab, team, and funding situation that is suitable for the work you can uniquely do.

	This is the situation experienced by the spectroscopy community at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. Sam Hernandez-Rivera, a chemistry professor there, recently 

 of Hurricane Maria on the academic analytical chemistry infrastructure. Although he wrote that piece in early December, as of January 2 his lab was still inoperable-more than 15 weeks after the storm-and necessary dehumidification and purge gas are not available. The lab was closed by the university because of mold growth. Decontamination cannot proceed without transportation infrastructure. Now, moisture-sensitive optics are now unusable. Electronics might be corroded. Front surface mirrors are ruined. Equipment losses for this lab alone could top one million US dollars.

	Of course, the impact is broader and deeper than just one lab. The work of over 50 graduate students has been significantly disrupted. Research projects are now delayed or cancelled because researchers have no access to workspaces and experimental equipment. Imagine that you are a graduate student who in September had three key experiments to complete to write a paper. After this devastation, when or how will you get those three key experiments completed? Maybe never. Undergraduates are affected as well. The teaching and experience they receive is dependent on the professors, the graduate students, and their own experiences at the research facilities.

	Thirty-eight professors now are faced with a halt to their life’s work. Labs are in ruins. Reagents that need refrigeration are useless. These are productive scientists. Professor Hernandez alone has 190 publications and has mentored over 60 students.

	The scientific endeavor in Puerto Rico as a whole will suffer. The chemistry department educates an average of 100 chemists per year. This year, those chemists are not going to be trained. That will hurt scientific employers on the island.

	It is time for our community to act to support our colleagues, and we need your help.

	Science is a community effort, so we must now come together to solve this problem. That’s why the spectroscopy community, led by the Coblentz Society and the Society for Applied Spectroscopy, is rallying a volunteer effort to support our colleagues. This support can be provided in various forms:

		Through monetary donations we will fund students from Puerto Rico to travel to functioning labs, where access to equipment will help keep those research projects on track. Financial support can be donated at the Society for Applied Spectroscopy Measure Venture site (

https://crowdfund.s-a-s.org/projects/spectroscopists-helping-spectroscopists

		Volunteers can offer their facilities, time, and expertise-including opportunities for Puerto Rican students to come to your lab-at 

http://www.coblentz.org/Membership/spectroscopists-helping-spectroscopists

		We are also seeking support from instrument vendors who can donate replacement equipment or donate the time and expertise of staff who can repair or service damaged equipment. Already two companies have donated services to help get this program off the ground. More such donations can be made by contacting helping.spectroscopists@gmail.com.

		We will also facilitate and organize creative solutions to help our colleagues cope with this disaster. If you have ideas, please contact helping.spectroscopists@gmail.com

	Without this support, students will return to their communities with unfinished educations and their future prospects will be stunted. We are not seeking to provide disaster relief; we are enabling self-help.

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, leaving the inhabitants without clean water, food, utilities and transportation. As you read this, the infrastructure is slowly being restored. The news you hear, however, doesn’t indicate the outsized impact on scientists and their families. The Society for Applied Spectroscopy and Coblentz Society are trying to help.

Ellen Miseo

Articles

2023 Review of Spectroscopic Instrumentation

2022 Review of Spectroscopic Instrumentation

Spectroscopy Labs in Puerto Rico Have Lost All Equipment and Remain Inoperable. We Need to Help.

Biological Applications of FT-IR Imaging - Large Samples at High Spatial Resolution