Spectroscopy-05-01-2008

While inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is capable of part-per-quadrillion (ppq) detection limits under ideal conditions, most applications do not require this level of sensitivity and do not justify the cost associated with achieving it. Practical sensitivity in ICP-MS is determined not by instrument signal-to-noise ratio, but rather by controlling interferences and matrix effects in real samples. Understanding the sources of these effects and their management is critical in determining the most practical way to achieve specific data quality objectives.

Featured products from the spectroscopy marketplace.

Howard Mark and Jerome Workman, Jr. continue their discussion of the derivation of the principal component algorithm using elementary algebra.

John Coates presents a comprehensive review of the products and accessories introduced at Pittcon this year.

The adoption of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for imaging applications is a major recent development in the market. Applications lie squarely in the life sciences area, being primarily in histopathology. The market for MALDI imaging products already accounts for a significant and rapidly growing portion of the aftermarket for MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

In Part I of this series, we examined recently developed miniature mid-infrared spectrometers (1). In Part II, we surveyed micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS), micro-opto-electro-mechanical systems (MOEMS), and some of the photonics technologies developed for optical communications (2). Here, in Part III, we summarize some of the conventional approaches to miniaturizing near-infrared (NIR) spectrometers, and in Part IV, we will bring these themes together and see how MOEMS and telecommunications photonics are poised to revolutionize NIR spectroscopy with a new generation of miniature instruments.