Spectroscopy-11-01-2015

The monitoring of the processes in steel and metal industry calls for techniques that are capable of measuring the composition of metallic alloys at a distance and on moving conveyor belts. In many cases, such as in the recycling of automotive scrap, the geometry of the objects to be analyzed can vary, and surface coatings can be present. In this paper, we discuss the application of LIBS to two industrial projects to illustrate how the above-mentioned problems can be faced and successfully resolved.

A current hot topic in regulated GXP laboratories is data integrity. Recently, the UK regulator issued an industry guidance on this subject that requires the establishment of a data governance system, part of which is data integrity training. Easy to say, but how do you do it?

This column is a mini survey of progress that has been made over the last few years in surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The potential of SERS to provide signals of analytes at very low concentrations continues to beckon the analytical chemist. What the last years have produced is a body of work showing the role of the physical properties of metals, based on their geometrical and electronic properties, in enhancing the signals. As this field matures, we foresee production of surface enhancing films and particles that will provide reproducible Raman signals for applications in areas such as environmental and biomedical studies.

Infrared and Raman bands are typically described in terms of peak location and peak height. The shape of the peak-its form, width, and asymmetry-is less well understood. Bandshapes largely depend upon interactions between vibrating molecules and their environment. An understanding of this relationship may enhance spectral interpretation and can explain unexpected behaviors, in both qualitative and quantitative analyses. This paper presents basic concepts that influence line shapes and shows the complex lineshape changes in an apparently simple system of acetone and water.

The SpectroCalc app is designed for conversion of units that describe electromagnetic waves.

Diffuse reflectance is a well-known sampling technique in mid-infrared (mid-IR) and near-IR spectroscopy. Despite its significance, however, the underlying mechanism of the technique is not well understood-particularly in mid-IR diffuse reflectance. Eric B. Brauns, an Associate Professor at the University of Idaho, has developed an instrument capable of studying the mechanism, using time-resolved measurements. Brauns won the 2015 Applied Spectroscopy William F. Meggers Award for this work. He recently spoke with Spectroscopy about his award-winning paper and what it means for the field.

Click the title above to open the Spectroscopy December 2015 regular issue, Vol 30 No 12, in an interactive PDF format.