Best of the Week: NIR Spectrometers, Wildlife Crimes, Mentorship in Spectroscopy

This week, Spectroscopy published various articles that covered many topics in analytical spectroscopy. This week’s articles touch upon several important application areas such as electronics, space exploration, and forensic analysis, and several key techniques are highlighted, including near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Below, we’ve highlighted some of the most popular articles, according to our readers and subscribers. Happy reading!

Breaking Spectral Boundaries: New Ultrafast Spectrometer Expands Detection Range for NIR Studies

In this news article, we spotlight the work of Auburn University researchers that recently developed an advanced near-infrared (NIR) transient absorption spectrometer that is designed to expand ultrafast spectroscopy's range from 900 to 2350 nm in one measurement. Traditional systems required separate setups, but this new instrument, driven by a femtosecond ytterbium laser, streamlines the process, enabling efficient, high-resolution data collection (1). Using an 8-mm yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) crystal and custom indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) cameras, it achieves high sensitivity (10⁻⁵ AU), ideal for studying electronic transitions in materials like low-bandgap polymers (1). The researchers showed that by testing it on polymer photovoltaics, they showed that this new spectrometer can be used in organic electronics and may soon expand to visible spectrum research (1).

Infrared Spectroscopy: A Powerful Tool Against Wildlife Crime

The emergence of new spectroscopic technologies has allowed investigators to solve and prosecute wildlife crimes more quickly. In this feature article, Spectroscopy does a deep dive into how spectroscopy is being used to investigate wildlife crimes (2).

FT-IR Mapping Unveils New Insights in Dahlia Root Composition

A recent study used Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy to analyze how growth conditions affect Dahlia root composition, focusing on the complex natural biopolymers: inulin, lignin, and suberin. FT-IR imaging enabled non-destructive mapping of these compounds, showing how forced cultivation, especially in early spring, boosted inulin concentration, which has dietary and pharmaceutical uses (3). Seasonal shifts also affected lignin and suberin: lignin peaked in autumn’s inner roots, whereas suberin increased from summer to fall (3). Findings suggest strategic planting could optimize inulin-rich crops for economic and sustainable purposes, highlighting FT-IR's value in agriculture and potential applications in food, cosmetics, and eco-friendly packaging (3).

SciX 2024: An Interview on Mentorship with Anita Mahadevan-Jansen

Mentorship is a hot topic in spectroscopic circles, as the current leading experts in the industry aim to advise the next generation as they pursue a career in analytical science. The SciX 2024 conference provided us with the opportunity to talk to the leaders in the industry about this topic. In this video interview, Spectroscopy sat down with Anita Mahadevan-Jansen, director at Vanderbilt University’s Biophotonics Center and President of SPIE, who discusses mentorship’s value, her experiences with influential mentors, and shares career advice (4). Known for her work in optical diagnostics and neurophotonics, Mahadevan-Jansen also speaks about her role as a journal editor and her contributions, such as founding the Biomedical Vibrational Spectroscopy conference, which has run annually since 2002 (4).

New Infrared Techniques Offer Insight into Volcanic Eruption Dynamics

This article explores how infrared (IR) spectroscopy is advancing volcano research. By analyzing volcanic features through IR reflectance and emission spectroscopy, scientists gain detailed data on rock composition, surface roughness, and particle size (5). Lead author Daniel B. Williams emphasizes the utility of satellite-based spectroscopy, especially for remote or hazardous volcanoes, to analyze eruptions and lava flow in real-time (5). The study highlights how laboratory data can now align with satellite data, improving large-scale observations (5). Future satellite missions, like ECOSTRESS and SBG, will enhance hyperspectral data collection, benefiting both terrestrial and planetary volcanology, aiding our understanding of eruptions on Earth, the Moon, and Mars (5).

References

1. Workman, Jr., J. Breaking Spectral Boundaries: New Ultrafast Spectrometer Expands Detection Range for NIR Studies. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/breaking-spectral-boundaries-new-ultrafast-spectrometer-expands-detection-range-for-nir-studies (accessed 2024-10-31).
2. Wetzel, W. Infrared Spectroscopy: A Powerful Tool Against Wildlife Crime. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/infrared-spectroscopy-a-powerful-tool-against-wildlife-crime (accessed 2024-10-31).
3. Wetzel, W. FT-IR Mapping Unveils New Insights in Dahlia Root Composition. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/ft-ir-mapping-unveils-new-insights-in-dahlia-root-composition (accessed 2024-10-31).
4. Hroncich, C.; Acevedo, A. SciX 2024: An Interview on Mentorship with Anita Mahadevan-Jansen. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/scix-2024-an-interview-on-mentorship-with-anita-mahadevan-jansen (accessed 2024-10-31).
5. Wetzel, W. New Infrared Techniques Offer Insight into Volcanic Eruption Dynamics. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/new-infrared-techniques-offer-insight-into-volcanic-eruption-dynamics (accessed 2024-10-31).