All
Best of the Week: Hawaiian Geology, Meteorite Clues, Cat Food
May 30th 2025Top articles published this week include an interview with Pooja Sheevam about her study analyzing Hawaii’s PTA-2 drill core, several news stories on recent meteorite studies, and a news article on using Raman spectroscopy and artificial intelligence (AI) to detect adulteration in maple syrup.
Analyzing Hawaii’s PTA-2 Drill Core With LWIR and SWIR Spectroscopy
May 29th 2025In Part I of our video interview with Pooja Sheevam, she discusses why she and her team used both LWIR and SWIR spectroscopy in analyzing Hawaii's PTA-2 drill core, and how the two techniques complemented each other in the study.
Research on Coal Classification Method Based on Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy
May 28th 2025A proposed solution is a coal species classification method that combines terahertz time-domain spectroscopy with machine learning - specifically, principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA). By using terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy (TDS), the absorption coefficient, dielectric constant, and refractive index of each sample were obtained from lignite, bituminous coal, and anthracite samples.
Microplastics Found in Deepest Reaches of Central Indian Ocean
May 28th 2025A new study published in Marine Pollution Bulletin reveals significant microplastic contamination at 5000-meter depths in the Central Indian Ocean Basin, highlighting the widespread reach of plastic pollution and the urgent need for regulatory action.
New Study Finds Elevated Metal Levels in Some Cat Foods Sold in Sharjah
May 27th 2025A new study published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis by researchers at the University of Sharjah reveals that while most cat foods sold in Sharjah meet international safety standards, some contain elevated metal levels, prompting calls for stricter regulation and quality control to protect pet health.
Best of the Week: Two-Step Neural Model, the 78th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy
May 23rd 2025Top articles published this week include an interview with Ayanjeet Ghosh and Rohit Bhargava on imaging for biomedical applications, a preview of the 78th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, and a news article on using artificial intelligence (AI) to study minerals.
Multi-Analytical Study Reveals Complex History Behind Ancient Snake Motif in Argentine Rock Art
May 22nd 2025A recent study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports reveals that a multi-headed snake motif at Argentina's La Candelaria rock shelter was created through multiple painting events over time.
Machine Learning Accelerates Clinical Progress of SERS Technology
May 22nd 2025A new review in TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry by Alfred Chin Yen Tay and Liang Wang highlights how machine learning (ML) is transforming surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) into a powerful, clinically viable tool for rapid and accurate medical diagnostics.
Fluorescence Spectroscopy Emerges as Rapid Screening Tool for Groundwater Contamination in Denmark
May 21st 2025A study published in Chemosphere by researchers at the Technical University of Denmark demonstrates that fluorescence spectroscopy can serve as a rapid, on-site screening tool for detecting pharmaceutical contaminants in groundwater.
China Institutions Team Up to Oxidize Toluene at Lower Temperatures
May 21st 2025Researchers from several Chinese universities have developed a low-cost, red mud-based catalyst doped with manganese oxides that efficiently oxidizes toluene at lower temperatures, offering a sustainable solution for air pollution control and industrial waste reuse.
The Future of Neurodegenerative Disease Research and the Role of IR Imaging
May 21st 2025In the final part of this three-part interview, Ayanjeet Ghosh of the University of Alabama and Rohit Bhargava of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign talk about the key performance metrics they used to evaluate their model, and what the future of neurodegenerative disease research looks like.
Whey Protein Fraud: How Portable NIR Spectroscopy and AI Can Combat This Issue
May 20th 2025Researchers from Tsinghua and Hainan Universities have developed a portable, non-destructive method using NIR spectroscopy, hyperspectral imaging, and machine learning to accurately assess the quality and detect adulteration in whey protein supplements.
Describing Their Two-Step Neural Model: An Interview with Ayanjeet Ghosh and Rohit Bhargava
May 20th 2025In the second part of this three-part interview, Ayanjeet Ghosh of the University of Alabama and Rohit Bhargava of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign discuss how machine learning (ML) is used in data analysis and go into more detail about the model they developed in their study.
Analyzing the Protein Secondary Structure in Tissue Specimens
May 19th 2025In the first part of this three-part interview, Ayanjeet Ghosh of the University of Alabama and Rohit Bhargava of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign discuss their interest in using discrete frequency infrared (IR) imaging to analyze protein secondary structures.
Best of the Week: Recognizing Albert A. Michelson, Studying Star Clusters, Elemental Analysis
May 16th 2025Top articles published this week include a new Icons of Spectroscopy column, a news story about the use of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy in gemology, and a Q&A interview about elemental analysis in pharmaceutical analysis.
How Do We Improve Elemental Impurity Analysis in Pharmaceutical Quality Control?
May 16th 2025In this final part of our conversation with Harrington and Seibert, they discuss the main challenges that they encountered in their study and how we can improve elemental impurity analysis in pharmaceutical quality control.
Accurate Plastic Blend Analysis Using Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy
May 15th 2025Researchers at the Sinopec Research Institute have developed a novel method using virtually generated mid-infrared spectra to accurately quantify plastic blends, offering a faster, scalable solution for recycling and environmental monitoring.