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Detection of Microplastics in Bottled Water Using Raman Microspectroscopy
February 10th 2025Spectroscopy sat down with Oskar Hagelskjaer, Founder and CEO of Microplastic Solution, to discuss his latest study whose findings challenge EU Directive 2020/2184 regarding microplastic detection in potable water.
Developing a Handheld Fiber-Optic Tissue Sensing Device for Spine Surgery
February 10th 2025A recent study proposed a compact, cost-effective, handheld fiber-optic device using simplified DRS technology to track the accuracy of pedicle screw placement in spinal fusion procedures. Spectroscopy spoke to Merle Losch, corresponding author for the paper resulting from this study, about the device and the team’s efforts to produce it.
Best of the Week: Interview with Juergen Popp, Microplastic Detection, Machine Learning Models
February 7th 2025Top articles published this week include a video interview that explores using label-free spectroscopic techniques for tumor classification, an interview discussing how near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy can classify different types of horsetails, and a news article about detecting colorless microplastics (MPs) using NIR spectroscopy and machine learning (ML).
Enhancing Tumor Classification with AI and Raman: A Conversation with Juergen Popp
February 7th 2025Spectroscopy sat down with Juergen Popp of the Leibniz Institute for Photonic Technology to talk about the Photonics West Conference, as well as his work using label-free spectroscopy techniques for precise tumor margin control.
Micro-Raman Spectroscopy to Detect Microplastic Pollution in the Zarafshan River
February 6th 2025A new study published in Green Analytical Chemistry reveals significant microplastic pollution in Uzbekistan’s Zarafshan River, highlighting regional differences, industrial contributions, and the urgent need for improved monitoring and mitigation strategies.
Advancing Zebrafish Research: FT-IR Imaging Sheds Light on Tissue Preservation in Zebrafish
February 5th 2025Researchers at the University of Lublin and the Medical University of Lublin have demonstrated the first application of FT-IR imaging in zebrafish larvae, revealing that frozen samples better preserve tissue structure than chemical fixation.
Spectroscopy and GPC to Evaluate Dissolved Organic Matter
February 4th 2025In a new study, a team of scientists used gel permeation chromatography, three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy, and UV-visible spectroscopy to assess road runoff from drinking water treatment plants to evaluate the method' capacity for removing dissolved organic matter (DOM).
Distinguishing Horsetails Using NIR and Predictive Modeling
February 3rd 2025Spectroscopy sat down with Knut Baumann of the University of Technology Braunschweig to discuss his latest research examining the classification of two closely related horsetail species, Equisetum arvense (field horsetail) and Equisetum palustre (marsh horsetail), using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR).
Best of the Week: Microplastics in U.S. Seafood, Tea Classification, Artificial Intelligence
January 31st 2025Top articles published this week include a video interview that explores quantifying microplastics and anthropogenic particles in seafood, an interview discussing how spectroscopy can assess salmon freshness, and a news article about using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in classifying tea.
Quantifying Microplastics and Anthropogenic Particles in Marine and Aquatic Environments
January 30th 2025Spectroscopy recently sat down with Elise Granek, Susanne Brander, and Summer Traylor to discuss their recent study quantifying microplastics (MPs) and anthropogenic particles (APs) in the edible tissues of black rockfish, lingcod, Chinook salmon, Pacific herring, Pacific lamprey, and pink shrimp.
Raman Spectroscopy Takes a Leap Forward in Forensic Drug Detection
January 29th 2025Researchers have demonstrated the potential of deep ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy (DUVRS) as a rapid, nondestructive, and sensitive tool for detecting antihistamines like cetirizine in oral fluid samples, paving the way for broader forensic applications.
Previewing Photonics West Keynote Sessions on Phototherapy and Fourier Ptychographic Microscopy
January 28th 2025The editors of Spectroscopy provide a compilation of talks that spectroscopists should consider attending on Tuesday January 28th during the Photonics West Conference in San Francisco, California.
Measuring Freshness of Salmon with Handheld Spectroscopic Instruments
January 27th 2025To better determine fish freshness within the context of rapid spectroscopic analyses, salmon fillet was analyzed via hand-held fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy devices across the visible and near-infrared (vis-NIR) range and benchmarked against industry-standard potentiometry and the gold-standard laboratory procedure, nucleotide extraction assays, over a 11-day period.
Applications of Micro X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy in Food and Agricultural Products
January 25th 2025In recent years, advances in X-ray optics and detectors have enabled the commercialization of laboratory μXRF spectrometers with spot sizes of ~3 to 30 μm that are suitable for routine imaging of element localization, which was previously only available with scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS). This new technique opens a variety of new μXRF applications in the food and agricultural sciences, which have the potential to provide researchers with valuable data that can enhance food safety, improve product consistency, and refine our understanding of the mechanisms of elemental uptake and homeostasis in agricultural crops. This month’s column takes a more detailed look at some of those application areas.
Van Zandt Williams, Norman E. Wright, and the Legacy of the Coblentz Society
January 25th 2025In this "Icons of Spectroscopy" column, executive editor Jerome Workman Jr. details how Van Zandt Williams from Perkin-Elmer Corporation and American Cyanamid, and Norman E. Wright from the Dow Chemical Company, have made significant contributions to the field of vibrational spectroscopy.
The Big Review IV: Hydrocarbons
January 25th 2025In the fourth installment of our review of infrared spectral interpretation, we will discuss the spectroscopy of hydrocarbons. We will look at the stretching and bending vibrations of methyl (CH3) and methylene (CH2) groups, how to distinguish them, and how to know whether one or both of these functional groups are present in a sample. We will also discuss aromatic hydrocarbons, specifically the C-H stretching and bending peaks of mono- and disubstituted benzene rings, and how to distinguish them.