Molecular Spectroscopy

Raman measurements can be used to infer the temperature of a material based on the Stokes and anti-Stokes band signal strengths, and by applying a predefined mathematical relationship. In reality, the temperature, Raman shift, and laser excitation wavelength all interact, and should be considered to better understand these measurements.

A famous and admired professor of analytical chemistry, Gary M. Hieftje, is officially retiring. He has been a prominent faculty member at Indiana University for 50 years, and a beloved mentor, colleague, and friend to many. In this special feature, we take a look at his many contributions, and his broad impact on the field.

Ishan Barman, this year’s Emerging Leader in Molecular Spectroscopy award recipient, leads a research team combining spectroscopy, imaging, and chemometrics to seek greater understanding of the pathological changes of human cells and tissues.

High-resolution measurements of particles are of great interest in many fields of application. With ParticleScout, WITec has developed a tool that makes it possible to find, classify, and identify particles automatically.

Tribology-the study of friction, wear, and lubrication-is important in mechanical, electromechanical, and biological systems. Changes in materials due to abrasion, friction, lubrication, erosion, and corrosion result in failures of the moving components during use. These effects are usually minimized by careful surface finish design and lubrication. Recycling and refinishing surfaces can extend the lifetimes of components. By examining worn surfaces, better methods can be developed to prevent wear. This applications note uses infrared spectroscopy to study tribology changes in steel.

Several pesticides were detected at parts-per-million levels on apple skin using a unique swabbing method and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).

Mixtures of methanol in ethanol were investigated using an automated ATR accessory. The spectral bands of methanol and ethanol were evaluated showing the expected absorbance changes.

The spectral behavior of water is studied using Raman with an NIR spectrograph and dual wavelength lasers for measurements of both the fingerprint and the OH stretching regions. Raman spectra are recorded between 5 ⁰C and 80 ⁰C, and treated with both band-fitting and the 2D-COS algorithm revealing improved insights into the spectral behavior of water.

Several spectroscopic measurement techniques are proving to be very effective and versatile for environmental applications.

The emission wavelength of graphene oxide is tuned through photothermal reduction and the spectral shift monitored using photoluminescence spectroscopy to achieve the desired emission.

Sampling flexibility is a significant benefit of Raman spectroscopy.

This application note describes the advantages of a simplified process of searching through Raman spectral databases and creating new ones for example, based on user generated data.

This applications note compares the sensitivity of a single-reflection ATR to multiple-reflection ATR for the nitrile functional group infrared transition.

We show that a microgrooved ATR-SEIRAS optimized Si ATR wafer designed to allow high angles of incidence at the electrode-solution interface provides improved signal-to-noise in electrochemical ATR-SEIRAS.

This year’s honoree, Megan Thielges, is a pioneer in the development of vibrational probes for use with 2D IR spectroscopy, to reveal new information about the structures and dynamics of proteins.

Matthew J. Baker, the winner of Spectroscopy’s inaugural Emerging Leader in Molecular Spectroscopy Award, is passionate about solving clinical problems with vibrational spectroscopy.

Recent reports of the successful use of Raman spectroscopy for important biomedical applications are quite exciting. These applications include imaging for disease diagnosis, including significant improvements for endoscopic probes, and identification of microorganisms. But is it truly practical and feasible to implement Raman technologies in a clinical environment?

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy continues to be used in a variety of applications, including drug quality testing and drug identification. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been exploring the use of this technique, along with mass spectrometry (MS), in connection with staff at the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). Spectroscopy spoke with FDA chemist, David Keire, on this topic.

Spectroscopy recently spoke with Sergei Kazarian, professor of physical chemistry at Imperial College London (London, UK), about his research with FT-IR imaging.

Spectroscopy recently interviewed professor Robert J. Levis, professor of chemistry at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on his work with strong lasers, including specific applications such as tissue typing and tissue analysis.

Spectroscopy techniques are an important facet of the laboratory analytical and life science instrument industry, which continues to expand as its analytical requirements migrate across industries and geographic regions. Overall industry growth has been in the 6-8% range for the last few years, which is a sign of both its maturity and its stability. The demands of the life science marketplace, environmental concerns, and the search for new materials are important driving forces. Likewise, the shifting market focus from North America and Europe to Asia is changing the face of the industry. It is expected that 2008 will be a good year for the industry despite the likely economic slowdown in North America and Europe.

Industry expert Lawrence Schmid presents his annual overview of the market in the laboratory analytical and life science instrument industry. Strong growth in Asia and continued growth in North America and Europe are promising signs for the industry in 2007 and beyond.