Spectroscopy-03-01-2019

Click the title above to open the Spectroscopy March regular issue, Volume 34, Issue 3, in an interactive PDF format.

The differentiation of polymorphs is important, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry. We demonstrate the practicality of using Raman spectroscopy to differentiate crystal forms for polymorph characterization and screening, and explain aspects of chemical bonding and solid state structure that affect the Raman spectra of crystal lattice vibrational modes.

Amines, which contain carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen, come in six varieties, but using the N-H stretching peak positions by themselves will distinguish between all the different amine types.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has seen significant expanded adoption in recent years, particularly in industrial applications where it can provide important advantages over other techniques. Mohamad Sabsabi, of the National Research Council of Canada, has been leading programs to research and implement the use of LIBS in mining and energy applications.

Our annual salary and employment survey looks at salaries, workload, job satisfaction, and the overall job market for spectroscopists. This year, we had some surprising results.

Spectroscopic measurement factors into every facet of modern life. Here, we survey noteworthy recent advances in and applications of atomic and molecular spectroscopy, touching on their uses in fields such as biomedicine, materials science, environmental monitoring, agriculture, pharmaceutical research, public safety, and more.