Spectroscopy-03-01-2008

Chemical analysts who use spectroscopy to extract molecular information from samples have been following the developments in Raman instrumentation. Vibrational spectroscopy provides detailed molecular information, but Fourier-transform IR has been much easier to use than Raman. Now that Raman equipment is smaller, cheaper, faster, and easier, analysts are interested. Columnist Fran Adar will discuss why.

Featured products from the spectroscopy marketplace.

Spectroscopy techniques are an important facet of the laboratory analytical and life science instrument industry, which continues to expand as its analytical requirements migrate across industries and geographic regions. Overall industry growth has been in the 6-8% range for the last few years, which is a sign of both its maturity and its stability. The demands of the life science marketplace, environmental concerns, and the search for new materials are important driving forces. Likewise, the shifting market focus from North America and Europe to Asia is changing the face of the industry. It is expected that 2008 will be a good year for the industry despite the likely economic slowdown in North America and Europe.

Spectroscopy staff editor Brian Johnson discusses this year's salaries and trends in employment for spectroscopists.

While the overall laboratory UV and Visible spectroscopy market was worth well over $700 million in 2007, the UV/Vis/NIR segment represented less than 10% of it. UV/Vis/NIR instruments utilize multiple detectors to cover a broader spectrum of analysis, and typically are among the highest-end systems in the UV-Vis market.

Columnist Ken Busch presents the third of a five-part series on quantitative mass spectrometry. In this installment, he focuses on an overview of regression analysis for calibration lines and curves in mass spectrometry.