Authors


Helen A. Castro

Latest:

FACSS 2009 Preview

Spectroscopy previews the 36th FACSS, to be held October 18–22, 2009, in Louisville, Kentucky.


Jing Bai

Latest:

Savitzky–Golay Smoothing and Differentiation Filter of Even Length: A Gram Polynomial Approach

In various fields such as signal processing, imaging processing, analytical chemistry, and spectroscopic analysis, smoothing and differentiation is important and necessary. With a matrix approach, the Savitzky–Golay smoothing and differentiation filter was extended recently to even length. In this article, a more general approach is proposed for convenient computation.



Steven Beres

Latest:

Reducing the Impact of Spectral Interferences on the Determination of Precious Metals in Complex Geological Matrices Using DRC ICP-MS

The potential for signal drift, matrix suppression, and spectral interference, in addition to demanding sample preparation, can make geological matrices some of the most difficult to analyze by conventional inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.


Kenneth L. Busch

Latest:

Acronyms in Mass Spectrometry

Spectroscopy columnist Ken Busch once again brings readers his comprehensive list of common acronyms used in the field of mass spectrometry.


Ming Gu

Latest:

Enhancing Mass Spectral Formula Determination by Heuristic Rules

A new approach to enhancing the performance of formula identification of true unknowns beyond high mass and spectral accuracy was evaluated. Three heuristic rules on upper limits and ratios of elements were tested for their effectiveness in filtering out false positive formulas with both high- and low-resolution mass spectrometry data. The rule on elements' upper limits was found to be the most effective one in eliminating incorrect formulas.


Simon M. Nelms

Latest:

Rapid, Cost-Effective, and Routine Biomedical Analysis Using ICP-MS

Elemental analysis in biological samples generally is achieved using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and graphite furnace AAS (GFAAS). Flame AAS is fast, easy-to-use, and economical, but insufficiently sensitive for assays such as Se in serum and Pb/Cd in whole blood. These measurements require use of the more sensitive GFAAS. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), despite its low detection limit capabilities and wide elemental range, has had relatively little impact to date on biomedical analysis because of the popularly held conception that it is complex to use and expensive. In recent years, the instrumentation has been simplified and purchase, running, and maintenance costs have fallen. As a result, clinicians are becoming more interested in ICP-MS, although the perception that it is still much more expensive than GFAAS remains. This article provides a comparison of the costs of ICP-MS and GFAAS for biomedical sample analysis and illustrates the performance of ICP-MS for..


Troy D. Wood

Latest:

MS Detection of Waste in Public Swimming Facilities

There is often insufficient prevention to ensure safe swimming environments. Recreation water illness (RWI), most commonly in the form of digestional track illness as well as skin, ear, and respiratory infections, are often caused by water contamination from human waste. Stercobilin is a very stable and suitable chemical biomarker of human waste that has the potential to be used for waste monitoring in public swimming facilities. Using solid phase extraction (SPE) techniques paired with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), we have developed a robust method used for swimming pool water monitoring to create safer swimming environments.


Martin Vollmer

Latest:

On-line and Off-line 2-D LC–ESI MS-MS Methods in Proteomic Analysis

Off-line 2-D LC–MS-MS represents a powerful alternative to on-line methodologies for protein identification from complex proteomes, improving the chromatographic resolution of digest peptide mixtures, even for low-abundance proteins. Here, the authors provide a detailed comparison of the two techniques.


Wilhad M. Reuter

Latest:

Advances in the Separation and Detection of As, Cr, and Se Species in Potable Waters Using HPLC Coupled with Dynamic Reaction Cell ICP-MS

Here, the authors discuss a multielement method for the simultaneous determination of inorganic As, Cr, and Se species in potable waters using a HPLC system coupled to a dynamic reaction cell indusctively coupled plasma mass spectrometer.



Luc Dionne

Latest:

Reducing the Impact of Spectral Interferences on the Determination of Precious Metals in Complex Geological Matrices Using DRC ICP-MS

The potential for signal drift, matrix suppression, and spectral interference, in addition to demanding sample preparation, can make geological matrices some of the most difficult to analyze by conventional inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.


Kenneth Neubauer

Latest:

The Analysis of Food Substances by ICP-MS

Elemental analysis of food substances presents a challenge because of the wide variety of food types and range of concentrations that need to be analyzed. This article discusses the analysis of a variety of food matrices with a single digestion procedure and instrumental method.


Thanos Pantazis, Amptek, Inc.

Latest:

RoHS/WEEE Application of a Miniature X-Ray Spectrometer

The RoHS/WEEE directive requires the electronics industry to certify that products comply with maximum concentration amounts of particular elements and compounds (Cr VI, Pb, Cd, Hg, Br PBB/PBDE) by July 2006. Instrumentation must be developed to perform the certification.


Udo Kaatze

Latest:

New Capabilities of High-Resolution Ultrasonic Spectroscopy: Titration Analysis

High-resolution ultrasonic spectroscopy titration analysis is a powerful new tool in research and analytical laboratory work for quantitative measurements of different processes and compounds. Here, the authors explore its potential.


Evgeny Kudryashov

Latest:

New Capabilities of High-Resolution Ultrasonic Spectroscopy: Titration Analysis

High-resolution ultrasonic spectroscopy titration analysis is a powerful new tool in research and analytical laboratory work for quantitative measurements of different processes and compounds. Here, the authors explore its potential.


E. Neil Lewis

Latest:

Molecular Spectroscopy Workbench Near-infrared Chemical Imaging and the PAT Initiative (PDF)

NIR-CI adds a completely new dimension to conventional spectroscopy.



Prachi Patel-Predd

Latest:

2006 Salary Survey: Salary Changes and Job Satisfaction in the Spectroscopy Community

This year's survey of salaries and job attitudes reveals that the market seems stable, but many spectroscopists are feeling the pressure of the economy at work.


Hagen Renner

Latest:

Efficient Raman Lasing in Tapered Silicon Waveguides

The authors review the operating principles of a silicon Raman laser and show that by introducing a longitudinal variation of the waveguide width in the cavity, the lasing efficiency can be increased significantly.


Peter B. Harrington

Latest:

Detection of g-Hydroxybutyrate and g-Butyrolactone by Ion Mobility Spectrometry (PDF)

The authors discuss g-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), a drug of abuse that is not detected in the drug-detection mode or positive polarity of commercial ion mobility spectrometers, but can be detected by ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) instruments in negative mode.


Ralf Moritz

Latest:

On-line and Off-line 2-D LC–ESI MS-MS Methods in Proteomic Analysis

Off-line 2-D LC–MS-MS represents a powerful alternative to on-line methodologies for protein identification from complex proteomes, improving the chromatographic resolution of digest peptide mixtures, even for low-abundance proteins. Here, the authors provide a detailed comparison of the two techniques.


W. John Wolfgong

Latest:

Raman Microscopy as a Valuable Tool for Failure Analysis (PDF)

The authors discuss several sample types encountered in their laboratory for which Raman spectroscopy is the only reliable method of analysis. The technique is shown to be a routine and cost-effective tool for the industrial laboratory.


Pamela A. Perrone

Latest:

Advances in the Separation and Detection of As, Cr, and Se Species in Potable Waters Using HPLC Coupled with Dynamic Reaction Cell ICP-MS

Here, the authors discuss a multielement method for the simultaneous determination of inorganic As, Cr, and Se species in potable waters using a HPLC system coupled to a dynamic reaction cell indusctively coupled plasma mass spectrometer.


Sang-Hyun Lim

Latest:

Chemically Selective Imaging with Broadband CARS Microscopy

September 2006. The authors rapidly acquire complete vibrational spectra in the fingerprint region using a single femtosecond laser for broadband coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy to image spatially variant compositions of condensed-phase samples.


Ping Zheng

Latest:

Test of an In Vivo Method to Detect Chloroplast Division in Crop Plants, Part III: Statistical Proofs of Observation and General Utility of the Method (PDF)

This article is the third installment in a series about a novel spectrofluorometric method that allow for in vivo observation of the division of chlorplast populations in leaves of Arabidopsis thalania.


Andrew P. Birkmire

Latest:

In-Line Process Analysis of Residual Moisture in a Fluid Bed Granulator-Dryer Using NIR Spectroscopy (PDF)

The authors describe the in-line moisture measurement of a pharmaceutical granulation of lactose, microcrystalline cellulose, and crospovidone in a fluid bed granulator-dryer using top sprayed granulating liquid. A near-infrared (NIR) prediction model was developed for moisture on spectra collected during a calibration run. Subsequent granulations were analyzed for moisture content real-time throughout the granulation and drying process using the NIR process instrument.


Harald Fischer

Latest:

Criteria for High-Quality Raman Microscopy

Five key qualitative factors–speed, sensitivity, resolution, modularity and upgradeability, and combinability–contribute to the quality of confocal Raman imaging microscopes. Using application examples, this article introduces modern Raman imaging and correlative imaging techniques, and presents state-of-the-art practice examples from polymer research, pharmaceutics, low-dimensional materials research, and life sciences.


Jianwen Luo

Latest:

Savitzky–Golay Smoothing and Differentiation Filter of Even Length: A Gram Polynomial Approach

In various fields such as signal processing, imaging processing, analytical chemistry, and spectroscopic analysis, smoothing and differentiation is important and necessary. With a matrix approach, the Savitzky–Golay smoothing and differentiation filter was extended recently to even length. In this article, a more general approach is proposed for convenient computation.


Ravi Yellepeddi

Latest:

New Developments in Wavelength-Dispersive XRF and XRD for the Analysis of Foodstuffs and Pharmaceutical Materials

September 2006. The authors discuss the benefits of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) for the determination of elemental nutrients in foodstuffs and X-ray diffraction (XRD) for the measurement and characterization of different compounds used in the pharmaceuticals industry.