Infrared (IR) Spectroscopy

This study used molecular spectroscopic techniques to characterize fibers found at a crime scene and those from the suspects.

A plain-language glossary of 40 spectroscopic and elemental analytical methods—FTIR, Raman, ICP-MS, XRF, atomic absorption, and more—with verified references for lab professionals, students, and instrument buyers.

A rule proposed by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) would give political appointees final authority over discretionary grant decisions ahead of peer reviewers, allow agencies to terminate active grants without a formal right of appeal, and restrict international collaboration and publication funding across federal science agencies. For the optical, molecular, vibrational, and atomic spectroscopy community, the proposal could affect the grants, journal support, and student and postdoctoral positions that sustain the field.

This study synthesized and characterized α-lactalbumin-infused nickel hydroxide nanoparticles, demonstrating successful incorporation of the protein into the nanoparticle structure and highlighting their potential for future biomedical and other advanced applications.

In this column, we will introduce the spectra of tri-, tetra-, and penta-substituted benzene rings.

The following articles are the 10 most accessed digital object identifier (DOI) manuscripts for Spectroscopy and LCGC International during the month of June 2026.

This paper demonstrates the use of optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy for the detection, identification, and localization of microplastics in tissue samples.

This review highlights major advances in infrared (IR) and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy from 2022–2026, including instrument miniaturization, hyperspectral imaging, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. These developments are expanding the use of vibrational spectroscopy beyond the laboratory into portable and field-deployable analytical systems. Environmental applications such as microplastic detection, biosolids analysis, soil characterization, and contaminant monitoring are emerging as key growth areas.

A comprehensive introduction to LIBs coverage published in Spectroscopy Online from 2022–2025.

The following articles are the 10 most accessed digital object identifier (DOI) manuscripts for Spectroscopy and LCGC International during the month of May 2026.

Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionized energy storage across consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and grid-scale systems, but further advancement requires overcoming challenges in safety, performance, affordability, and sustainability as production scales from laboratory to gigafactory levels. This article highlights the essential role of analytical chemistry techniques and rigorous process control in mitigating thermal runaway, reducing variability, managing impurities, optimizing costs, and improving recyclability to enable safer, higher-performing, and more sustainable next-generation battery technologies.

This column considers the spectra of saturated rings, such as cyclopentane and cyclohexane, and how not all of them are easily detectable by infrared spectroscopy.

A recent study presented a reagent-free FT-IR-based spectroscopic method that detects melamine adulteration in milk powder at concentrations as low as 0.46 parts per million.

Over the past two years, Spectroscopy magazine has extensively documented and analyzed the growing role of artificial intelligence in spectroscopy through articles, interviews, podcasts, and technical features, highlighting both its hype and its potential as a transformative advancement in data processing and analytical science.

A recent article examines whether attenuated total reflection (ATR) accessories with diamond elements truly function as “universal” sampling tools for FT-IR analysis, highlighting the technique’s practical advantages alongside important limitations rooted in sample properties and instrument considerations.

Researchers at the National University of Singapore have demonstrated that widely used spectroscopic methods for detecting adulteration in edible bird's nest products are based on a false assumption — that genuine product has a uniform chemical signature.

Spectroscopy is telling us the extraterrestrial history of space objects, helping us learn about planetary origins.

This new feature in Spectroscopy introduces a structured, application-focused series that curates and examines the most influential research papers in molecular and atomic spectroscopy. Each installment presents a focused “Top 10” collection of seminal publications within a specific analytical domain, spanning techniques such as ultraviolet–visible, infrared, Raman, near-infrared, and atomic spectroscopy. Across biomedical, biopharmaceutical, environmental, and forensic applications, the selected papers illustrate how spectroscopic methods are applied to real-world analytical challenges. Emphasis is placed on the integration of spectral data with chemometric approaches to enable robust calibration, accurate prediction, and meaningful interpretation. Together, these curated collections provide practitioners with a concise, application-oriented perspective on impactful developments in spectroscopy. This article brings together the first nine “Top 10” collections in the series, offering a cross-disciplinary view of influential work shaping the field.

In this interview clip, we explore how an optical model accounts for thin-layer thickness on the order of the penetration depth so spectra reflect partial-reflection effects.

Is sample thickness important for signal detection? The answer is yes, and in this interview segment, Thomas Mayerhofer of Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology explains why.

The following articles are the 10 most accessed digital object identifier (DOI) manuscripts for Spectroscopy and LCGC International during March, 2026.

What does the rise of portable and handheld spectroscopic instrumentation tell us?

A recent study highlights the pervasive reach of plastic pollution.

In the second part of our interview with José Miguel Hernández Hierro, an associate professor at the Universidad de Sevilla, he discusses the scalability challenges in this work, touching upon variables such as raw material variability, extraction efficiency, and storage stability.

Can grape pomace be a plant-based alternative to help improve wine stability and sensor quality? José Miguel Hernández-Hierro, who is an associate professor at the Universidad de Sevilla, explains why it might.