News Spectrum
Madrid-based National Institute for Aerospace Technology, a public research organization specializing in aerospace research and technology development, will contribute to the ExoMars mission to Mars in 2018, with an instrument that uses Raman spectroscopy.
Raman Spectroscopy To Be Used in European Mission to Mars
Madrid-based National Institute for Aerospace Technology, a public research organization specializing in aerospace research and technology development, will contribute to the ExoMars mission to Mars in 2018, with an instrument that uses Raman spectroscopy. The mission is led by the European Space Agency with contributions from Russia. Its objectives are to detect possible evidence of past or present life on Mars and to garner insights into the history of water on the planet.
After the ExoMars rover is on Mars' surface, a drill in the rover will collect samples up to 2 m beneath the Martian surface. The samples will be crushed into a fine powder and studied inside the rover's analytical laboratory.
"The Raman laser spectrometer will be used to analyze these samples, obtaining information about their mineralogy and chemical composition, and detect possible organic compounds" said Gerald Heidt, CEO of Wasatch Photonics, whose company made the high-performance, volume phase, holographic gratings that are used in this Raman instrument.
Advancing the Use of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Combination with Clinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Engineers from the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth (Hanover, New Hampshire) and radiologists are developing new approaches for an emerging technique in diagnostic imaging for breast cancer that combines magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, as reported in the February issue of the journal Academic Radiology.
Combined MRI–NIR spectroscopy may benefit women whose mammograms showed an abnormality and require further testing to rule out cancer. The test would be conducted before an invasive biopsy to look for tumors. For the new method to work successfully in routine patient care, MRI–NIR spectroscopy must adapt to an individual's body size as well as accommodate a range of cup sizes. The equipment must also mobilize and maintain contact with the breast.
MRI–NIR spectroscopy testing may offer specific advantages to women with dense breasts, who are more likely to develop and die from breast cancer. A dense breast is harder for a radiologist to "see through" when using traditional imaging equipment, which reportedly lacks the sensitivity to penetrate the dense tissue. Standard breast screening is effective 77–97% of the time in a normal breast, but the precision falls to 63–89% when a breast is dense.
Using Handheld NIR Spectrometry in the Classification of Polyolefin Films
February 24th 2025By using a handheld NIR spectrometer, researchers aimed to optimize the classification process that makes it possible to differentiate between polyolefin and non-polyolefin films with a single measurement, even for thin films. Their findings could contribute to better recycling processes, helping to address the growing plastic waste problem. Spectroscopy spoke to Hana Stipanovic, corresponding author of a paper resulting from these efforts, about this research.
Best of the Week: Microplastic Pollution, Previewing the AAFS Conference, Next-Gen IR Sensors
February 21st 2025Top articles published this week include an interview that provides insight into how marine monitoring can improve mitigation of plastic pollution, coverage of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) conference, and an article about next-generation infrared (IR) sensors.
Fluorescence Anisotropy Offers New Insights into Food Texture and Structure
February 21st 2025A recent study published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis explores the potential of fluorescence anisotropy as a tool for quantifying structural anisotropy in food, offering new insights for improving plant-based alternatives and dairy product textures.
