July 21st 2025
This tutorial addresses the critical issue of analyte specificity in multivariate spectroscopy using the concept of Net Analyte Signal (NAS). NAS allows chemometricians to isolate the portion of the signal that is unique to the analyte of interest, thereby enhancing model interpretability and robustness in the presence of interfering species. While this tutorial introduces the foundational concepts for beginners, it also includes selected advanced topics to bridge toward expert-level applications and future research. The tutorial covers the mathematical foundation of NAS, its application in regression models like partial least squares (PLS), and emerging methods to optimize specificity and variable selection. Applications in pharmaceuticals, clinical diagnostics, and industrial process control are also discussed.
A Review of the Latest Spectroscopic Research in Agriculture Analysis
September 4th 2024Spectroscopic analytical techniques are crucial for the analysis of agricultural products. This review emphasizes the latest advancements in several key spectroscopic methods, including atomic, vibrational, molecular, electronic, and X-ray techniques. The applications of these analytical methods in detecting important quality parameters, adulteration, insects and rodent infestation, ripening, and other essential applications are discussed.
A Brief Review of the Latest Spectroscopic Research in Environmental Analysis
June 18th 2024Spectroscopic analytical techniques are crucial for the analysis of environmental samples. This review emphasizes the latest advancements in several key spectroscopic methods, including atomic, vibrational, molecular, electronic, and X-ray techniques. The applications of these analytical methods in detecting contaminants and other environmental applications are thoroughly discussed.
The 2024 Emerging Leader in Atomic Spectroscopy Award
January 1st 2024This year’s Emerging Leader in Atomic Spectroscopy Award recipient is Eduardo Bolea-Fernández. For the past decade, Bolea-Fernández’s research has focused on the development of a newly introduced technique, termed tandem ICP-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS), for ultra-trace elemental and isotopic analysis. Senior technical editor Jerome Workman discusses Bolea-Fernández’s work here.
Advancements in Non-Invasive Analysis of Historical Metal Artifacts
December 19th 2023Studying historical ancient artifacts requires the use of a nondestructive technique to analyze the metal surfaces of these objects. This study presents two approaches that improves on existing methods when conducting alloy analysis.
Detecting and Combating Heavy Metal Lead Contamination in Wheat Seedlings Using LIBS-Raman
October 17th 2023In a recent study, collaborative spectroscopic methods, such as LIBS-Raman, were used for detecting and combatting heavy metal lead contamination in wheat seedlings, revealing critical insights for food security and human health.
Laser Technology Improves Detection of Heavy Metals in Recycled Plastics
August 16th 2023A recent study explains how laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is better suited for rapidly quantifying heavy metals in plastics than traditional methods such as inductively couple plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS).