Will Wetzel

In this interview segment, Robert Ewing discusses how his contactless method improves on traditional drug detection techniques and how the VaporID technology remains adaptive to emerging synthetic variants.

Published in Food Chemistry, researchers from Jiangsu University of Science and Technology and Jimei University use near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and machine learning to tackle food adulteration and enhance quality control.

Top articles published this week include an interview series with Robert Ewing of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, a news article on using infrared (IR) cameras to see invisible methane leaks, and an article about the role of vibrational spectroscopy in analyzing plant-based food products.

In Part II of our three-part interview with Robert Ewing, he reviews the results of the Nogales border test.

Researchers at Heilongjiang University have developed a rapid and accurate method for detecting sweeteners in food using Raman spectroscopy combined with a Random Forest machine learning algorithm, offering a powerful tool for improving food safety.

Researchers from institutions in Brazil harness near-infrared spectroscopy and machine learning to determine cocoa content with precision.

Researchers from Jiangsu University and Jimei University developed an advanced FT-NIR-based method for food safety monitoring, achieving over 97% accuracy in identifying multiple oil-based contaminants in peanut oil.

In the first part of a three-part interview, Robert Ewing discusses the core technology behind the VaporID system, explains how the system differs from current IMS systems, and describes the challenges the team faced in miniaturizing the VaporID device into a portable, microwave-sized system.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL) VaporID, which is a newly developed portable air sampling system incorporating a miniaturized mass spectrometer (MS), can detect trace levels of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and even explosives like TNT with great accuracy.

A new review highlights how vibrational spectroscopy techniques like FTIR, NIR, and Raman offer rapid, non-destructive tools for accurately analyzing plant-based protein content and structure.

Researchers at Xi’an Jiaotong University have demonstrated that ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, combined with histological analysis and machine learning, can accurately distinguish between drowning and strangulation in forensic cases.

A new study published in Geoderma demonstrates that combining soil spectroscopy with radar-derived vegetation indices and environmental data significantly improves the accuracy of soil organic carbon predictions in Brazil’s semi-arid regions.

A new study published in the Journal of South American Earth Sciences reveals how microbial activity, low pH conditions, and sediment chemistry in Brazil’s São Carlos Shale uniquely preserved diverse Upper Cretaceous fossils, offering fresh insights into the paleoenvironment of the Bauru Basin.

In a press release, CRAIC Technologies announced the launch of its novel maceral identification solution that is designed to improve coal analysis. This new system contains high-speed imaging, servo-driven scanning, and intelligent software that work together to generate more accurate maceral analysis.

A recent study presented a dual-method approach combining confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy and Nile Red-assisted fluorescence microscopy to enhance the accuracy and throughput of microplastics detection in environmental samples.

The Society for Applied Spectroscopy (SAS) recently announced the 2025 Fellows Award recipients. Here's a rundown of who was selected and their contributions to the field of spectroscopy.

Machine learning models and spectral analysis provide a scalable alternative to conventional trace metal detection.

A new review article highlights how researchers in Moscow are integrating machine learning with optical spectroscopy techniques to enhance real-time diagnosis and surgical precision in central nervous system tumor treatment.

A recent study showcases a cost-effective, ecofriendly UV spectrophotometric method enhanced with dimension reduction algorithms to accurately quantify veterinary drugs dexamethasone and prednisolone, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional analysis techniques.

A recent study reports high-purity blue emission and thermal stability in novel lanthanum (III) complex synthesized via low-energy precipitation method.

Researchers develop robust diagnostic method using functional near-infrared (fNIR) spectroscopy and deep neural networks with high accuracy.

Top articles published this week include a compilation of some of the top KOL interviews for the month of June, an announcement from DialAct Corporation about a new product line of Raman spectrometers, and an inside look at Raman spectroscopy in biomedicine.

Researchers from Cranfield University and partners from industry demonstrated the feasibility of using advanced, non-destructive imaging techniques to analyze and standardize organo-mineral fertilizers.

A new study published in Minerals reveals that red coral artifacts unearthed in Xinjiang’s Shengjindian cemetery originated from the western Mediterranean, highlighting early Silk Road trade and long-distance cultural exchange during the Han Dynasty.

Earlier this month, ABB and Hydrosat announced an expansion of their partnership by launching the second infrared (IR) camera that will go aboard Hydrosat’s VanZyl-2 satellite, which is scheduled for summer 2025.

A new study published in the journal Food Chemistry by lead authors Qian Zhao and Jun Huang from Zhejiang University of Science and Technology unveil a new data-driven framework for predicting resistant starch content in rice

We sat down with top researchers in analytical spectroscopy to discuss their work, insights, and the paths that brought them here.

A recent study developed new photoacoustic probes to better visualize oxidative stress during acute liver injury.

In this edition of “Inside the Laboratory,” Brett McGuire of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) discusses his laboratory’s work in astrochemistry.