August 21st 2025
A recent study demonstrated that UV–visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy combined with machine learning (ML) can provide a fast, cost-effective, and automated method for detecting biological contamination in microalgae cultures.
Scientists Use AI and Spectroscopy to Detect Fake Honey in Bangladesh
July 29th 2025Researchers in Bangladesh have developed a rapid, non-destructive method to detect honey adulteration using UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy paired with machine learning. Their findings could protect consumers and support food quality enforcement.
Specificity and the Net Analyte Signal in Full-Spectrum Analysis
July 21st 2025This 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.
How Analytical Chemists Are Navigating DOGE-Driven Funding Cuts
July 14th 2025DOGE-related federal funding cuts have sharply reduced salaries, lab budgets, and graduate support in academia. Researchers view the politically driven shifts in priorities as part of recurring systemic issues in U.S. science funding during administrative transitions. The impact on Federal laboratories has varied, with some seeing immediate effects and others experiencing more gradual effects. In general, there is rising uncertainty over future appropriations. Sustainable recovery may require structural reforms, leaner administration, and stronger industry-academia collaboration. New commentary underscores similar challenges, noting scaled-back graduate admissions, spending freezes, and a pervasive sense of overwhelming stress among faculty, students, and staff. This article addresses these issues for the analytical chemistry community.
How Spectroscopy Drones Are Detecting Hidden Crop Threats in China’s Soybean Fields
July 8th 2025Researchers in Northeast China have demonstrated a new approach using drone-mounted multispectral imaging to monitor and predict soybean bacterial blight disease, offering a promising tool for early detection and yield protection.
Advancing Deep Soil Moisture Monitoring with AI-Powered Spectroscopy Drones
July 7th 2025A Virginia Tech study has combined drone-mounted NIR hyperspectral imaging (400 nm to 1100 nm) and AI to estimate soil moisture at root depths with remarkable accuracy, paving the way for smarter irrigation and resilient farming.
New Ecofriendly Spectrophotometric Method Boosts Accuracy in Veterinary Drug Analysis
June 30th 2025A recent study showcases a cost-effective, ecofriendly UV spectrophotometric method enhanced with dimension reduction algorithms to accurately quantify veterinary drugs dexamethasone and prednisolone, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional analysis techniques.
Toward a Generalizable Model of Diffuse Reflectance in Particulate Systems
June 30th 2025This tutorial examines the modeling of diffuse reflectance (DR) in complex particulate samples, such as powders and granular solids. Traditional theoretical frameworks like empirical absorbance, Kubelka-Munk, radiative transfer theory (RTT), and the Hapke model are presented in standard and matrix notation where applicable. Their advantages and limitations are highlighted, particularly for heterogeneous particle size distributions and real-world variations in the optical properties of particulate samples. Hybrid and emerging computational strategies, including Monte Carlo methods, full-wave numerical solvers, and machine learning (ML) models, are evaluated for their potential to produce more generalizable prediction models.
New Spectroscopy Methods Target Counterfeit Oral Medication Syrups
June 23rd 2025Researchers at Georgia College and Purdue University have developed a fast, low-cost method using Raman and UV–visible spectroscopy combined with chemometric modeling to accurately screen and quantify active ingredients in over-the-counter oral syrups, helping to fight counterfeit medications.
Advanced Spectroscopy Unlocks Secrets of Disordered Materials
June 18th 2025Researchers in Brazil have developed new optical techniques—SLIM, IC-scan, and RICO-scan—to probe the complex nonlinear properties of scattering and disordered materials, expanding potential applications in photonics, biomedicine, and thermometry.
Scientists Unveil Better Mixing Rule for Absorption Spectroscopy of Aerosols and Colloids
June 16th 2025Researchers have introduced a simple yet powerful new rule based on Rayleigh scattering theory that accurately links the absorption behavior of composite media, like aerosols or colloids, to the properties of their nanoparticle constituents.
Complex-Valued Chemometrics for Composition Analysis
June 16th 2025In this tutorial, Thomas G. Mayerhöfer and Jürgen Popp introduce complex-valued chemometrics as a more physically grounded alternative to traditional intensity-based spectroscopy measurement methods. By incorporating both the real and imaginary parts of the complex refractive index of a sample, this approach preserves phase information and improves linearity with sample analyte concentration. The result is more robust and interpretable multivariate models, especially in systems affected by nonlinear effects or strong solvent and analyte interactions.
New Optical Formulae for Thin Films Boost Accuracy for Real-World Applications
June 2nd 2025Researchers from Northwestern University, University of Cádiz, and University of Arizona have developed new formulae for analyzing optical thin films that outperform traditional models by accounting for complex geometries and absorbing substrates. These advances offer more precise ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared (UV-vis-NIR) spectroscopic analysis of film materials used in critical modern technologies.
Bruce R. Kowalski: The Maverick Mind Behind Chemometrics
June 2nd 2025In this Icons of Spectroscopy article, Executive Editor Jerome Workman Jr. delves into the life and impact of Bruce Kowalski, an analytical chemist whose major contributions to chemometrics helped establish the field of applying advanced quantitative and qualitative mathematics to extract meaningful chemical information from complex datasets. Kowalski’s visionary approach to chemical data analysis, education, and software development has transformed the landscape of modern analytical chemistry for academia and industry.
Ancient Meteorite Reveals Space Weathering Secrets Through Cutting-Edge Spectroscopy
Published: May 27th 2025 | Updated: May 27th 2025Researchers in Rome used advanced spectroscopic techniques to probe the mineralogy of the CM2 carbonaceous chondrite NWA 12184. This revealed the effects of space weathering and provided insights into C-type asteroid evolution.
Real-Time Health Monitoring Using Smart Wearable Spectroscopy Sensors With AI
May 6th 2025A newly published review in the journal Advanced Materials explores how intelligent wearable sensors, powered by smart materials and machine learning, are changing healthcare into a decentralized, personalized, and predictive modeling system. An international team of researchers highlights emerging technologies that promise earlier diagnosis, improved therapy, and continuous health monitoring—anytime, anywhere.
AI and Satellite Spectroscopy Team Up to Monitor Urban River Pollution in China
April 30th 2025A study from Chinese researchers demonstrates how combining satellite imagery, land use data, and machine learning can improve pollution monitoring in fast-changing urban rivers. The study focuses on non-optically active pollutants in the Weihe River Basin and showcases promising results for remote, data-driven water quality assessments.
How Satellite-Based Spectroscopy is Transforming Inland Water Quality Monitoring
Published: April 29th 2025 | Updated: April 29th 2025New research highlights how remote satellite sensing technologies are changing the way scientists monitor inland water quality, offering powerful tools for tracking pollutants, analyzing ecological health, and supporting environmental policies across the globe.
Introduction to Satellite and Aerial Spectral Imaging Systems
April 28th 2025Modern remote sensing technologies have evolved from coarse-resolution multispectral sensors like MODIS and MERIS to high-resolution, multi-band systems such as Sentinel-2 MSI, Landsat OLI, and UAV-mounted spectrometers. These advancements provide greater spectral and spatial detail, enabling precise monitoring of environmental, agricultural, and land-use dynamics.
Smarter Sensors, Cleaner Earth Using AI and IoT for Pollution Monitoring
April 22nd 2025A global research team has detailed how smart sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are transforming the detection and management of environmental pollutants. Their comprehensive review highlights how spectroscopy and sensor networks are now key tools in real-time pollution tracking.
New Study Reveals Insights into Phenol’s Behavior in Ice
April 16th 2025A new study published in Spectrochimica Acta Part A by Dominik Heger and colleagues at Masaryk University reveals that phenol's photophysical properties change significantly when frozen, potentially enabling its breakdown by sunlight in icy environments.
Real-Time Battery Health Tracking Using Fiber-Optic Sensors
April 9th 2025A new study by researchers from Palo Alto Research Center (PARC, a Xerox Company) and LG Chem Power presents a novel method for real-time battery monitoring using embedded fiber-optic sensors. This approach enhances state-of-charge (SOC) and state-of-health (SOH) estimations, potentially improving the efficiency and lifespan of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles (xEVs).
Smart Optical Sensors for Thermal Management in Electric Vehicles
April 8th 2025A recent review in Energies explores the latest advancements in sensor applications for electric vehicle (EV) thermal management systems. The study, authored by Anyu Cheng, Yi Xin, Hang Wu, Lixin Yang, and Banghuai Deng from Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, along with industry partners, examines how advanced optical sensors improve the efficiency, safety, and longevity of EVs.
Fiber Optics and Neural Networks Transform Vehicle Sensing and Road Safety
April 7th 2025A cutting-edge fiber optic sensing system, developed by researchers at Tongji University, leverages neural networks to classify vehicles with unprecedented accuracy. The system’s innovative design uses spectroscopic and optical sensor technologies to provide critical data for road maintenance and traffic management.