Peer-reviewed Articles

Raman spectroscopy, using optical tweezers, is capable of measuring the size, refractive index, and chemical composition of single aerosol droplets, at picoliter volumes. This information improves our understanding of molecular-level chemical processes within droplets.

Study of the Content of Inorganic Arsenic and Heavy Metals in Samples of Rice Cakes in the City of Madrid

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) compounds are ubiquitous; thus it is challenging to develop analytical methods that ensure their absence. A newly developed method combining sizeexclusion chromatography with inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy makes it possible to quantify ultratrace levels of PDMS in volatile and nonvolatile organic solvents. A complete range of molecular weights can also be distinguished with this approach.

On-scene analysis of cocaine is an essential tool for law enforcement. This study defines how portable infrared and Raman spectrometers are capable of providing accurate and reliable identification of cocaine and other drugs when and where needed most.

Glitter particles from cosmetics may transfer during personal assaults, and thus glitter may be useful as a forensic tool. In this study, glitter samples were analyzed using ATR–FT-IR in an attempt to develop a characterization scheme to aid in the identification of these particles.

TERS has sub-nanometer spatial resolution and single-molecule sensitivity, making it useful for exploring structure and dynamics at the nanoscale in fields such as biology and electrochemistry.

This SERS method is rapid, accurate, nondestructive, and easy

This study presents a novel, time-efficient, and cost-effective procedure for determining the percentage of oil content in binary mixtures of peanut and canola oils.

This article introduces a new IR technique, microfluidic modulation spectroscopy (MMS), that is designed to address the needs in biotherapeutics, and presents data from measurements of commercially available proteins.

The establishment of quantitative models based on the near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic analysis of plant samples plays an important role in improving both the scope of the models and the accuracy of prediction. This technique could provide a new method for tobacco quality management and provide a new discriminant method for other agricultural products.

Single-cell ICP-MS can accurately quantify the metal concentrations within individual cells, providing new information about the mean metal content and the variation within a cell population. This method is shown to be a vital tool for assessing the specific uptake of metals by ovarian cancer cells and fresh water algae.

Although recent steel coating methods have demonstrated improvements in corrosion resistance, they can prove expensive and complicated. In this study, XPS analysis was used to evaluate the corrosion resistance of steel treated with an alternative technique.

FT-NIR spectroscopy can be used to overcome a range of challenges in raw material identification while also meeting the stringent requirements of regulated environments.

The combination of microwave sample preparation and ICP-OES is examined to meet the challenges of measuring a suite of heavy metals in a wide range of electronic components for RoHS/WEEE compliance.

John M. Cottle, the winner of Spectroscopy’s 2018 Emerging Leader in Atomic Spectroscopy Award, is a leader in the development of novel laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry measurements and their application to tectonic questions in convergent orogens. His three breakthrough measurement methods using LA-ICP-MS for geochemical data collection are breaking new ground in Earth science.

Can morphologically directed Raman spectroscopy obtain more discriminatory information from forensic samples than current tools?

This study reveals the ability of Raman spectroscopy to identify some forensically relevant body fluids, both

In the last decade, numerous SERS substrates have been developed, but it is difficult to compare and validate their plasmonic performance. In this overview, the authors discuss the three physical parameters of any new SERS platform that must be measured-morphological characterization, optical scattering (far-field response), and near-field properties-and future prospects for the development of new SERS platforms.

This method demonstrates that ICP-OES is a suitable alternative to ICP-MS for the determination of rare earth elements in geological and agricultural samples

This method demonstrates the excellent suitability of a multimodal approach that combines LA-ICP-MS with LIBS for the analysis of tumor samples, particularly when the standalone techniques cannot detect all the elements of interest.

The apparent reaction kinetics between SO3 and polyethylene are investigated in various halogenated solvents using in situ Raman spectroscopy with an immersion Raman probe, demonstrating the power of in situ Raman spectroscopy to monitor hazardous reactions.

Antacids present a unique set of analytical challenges for ICP-MS. These challenges can be overcome with optimized sample preparation and instrumental analytical conditions.

This review assesses the use of WD-XRF spectrometry for the analysis of major and trace levels of heavy and toxic minerals in biological specimens related to agricultural crops and human diseases.

This method, for the evaluation of the enantiomeric purity of particular phosphonate derivatives, offers advantages in terms of cost, simplicity, and measurement speed.

A straightforward numerical approach to estimate the performance of a spatial filter in Raman backscattering spectroscopy has been developed. This approach enabled the authors to determine an optimal hole diameter that balances spatial resolution and signal intensity.