Spectroscopy-11-01-2014

Dr. Richard R. Hark, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, discusses his work using LIBS for emergency response to hazardous materials. Adam L. Miller, the director at the Huntingdon County Emergency Management Agency in Pennsylvania, also talks about his work as a first responder and how he has been involved in Hark's research.

A method for removing fluorescence-induced backgrounds from Raman spectra using sequentially shifted excitation (SSE) is described. The method uses a temperature-tuned, distributed Bragg reflector diode laser to produce the multiple excitation spectra required to implement the SSE algorithm. Examples applying the SSE method to analysis of motor oils and edible oils are given.

Click the title above to open the Spectroscopy November 2014 regular issue, Vol 29 No 11, in an interactive PDF format.

How do current commercial instruments vary with respect to photometric accuracy and precision over time? What are potential solutions to this challenge?

An application of atomic spectroscopy for experiential learning through archaeological investigations is presented.

Recently, regulators in both the United States and United Kingdom issued guidance concerning laboratory data integrity that followed serious noncompliances found during inspections. Here, we explore what this guidance means for spectroscopy systems used for analysis in regulated laboratories and derive some common-sense guidance that you can follow.