Best of the Week: Peak Positions, Jeanette Grasselli Brown, ICP-MS for Raw Materials in Waste Streams
Spectroscopy published stories highlighting the work of Jeanette Grasselli Brown, as well as the latest analysis on spectral interpretation, atomic spectroscopy, and more.
This week, Spectroscopy published a variety of articles on the hottest topics in analytical spectroscopy and beyond. These articles highlight a wide range of spectroscopic techniques and application areas. Below, we’ve highlighted some of the most popular articles, according to our readers and subscribers. Happy reading!
By Brian C. Smith
In our “IR Spectral Interpretation” column published in our April/May 2024 print issue, Smith reexamines the beginning and intermediate topics of infrared (IR) spectroscopy. He reviews the information that is contained in an IR spectrum, which includes peak positions, peak heights, and peak width, and how all these bits of information tell us about the structure and concentration of molecules in a sample (1).
Icons of Spectroscopy: An Interview with Jeanette Grasselli Brown, Part I
By Caroline Hroncich
Jeanette Grasselli Brown is undoubtedly an icon of spectroscopy. Her story is one of perseverance—forging a path for herself at a time where few women were able to get ahead in science. Grasselli Brown's expertise includes vibrational spectroscopy, combined instrumental techniques, computerized spectroscopy, process analysis and control, and environmental spectroscopy. Spectroscopy associate editorial director Caroline Hroncich sat down with Jeanette Grasselli Brown to talk about her career in spectroscopy.
She holds 13 honorary degrees, including an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Ohio University, her alma mater. Grasselli Brown also holds one patent and has published 80 papers and nine books in the field of IR and Raman spectroscopy. She was the editor of the journal Vibrational Spectroscopy from 1989–1995 (2).
By Glenna Thomas
In our “Atomic Perspectives” column published in our April/May 2024 print issue, Thomas explores the current landscape of global critical raw materials (CRM) trends in research and the applications of atomic spectroscopy (AS), including inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP–MS), inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (ICP–OES), and X-ray analytical techniques in their identification of diverse industrial and environmental media (3).
By Jerome Workman, Jr.
In this article, two distinct baseline correction methods, frequency-domain polynomial fitting, and time-domain molecular free induction decay (m-FID), are compared to determine which approach is more effective in reducing baseline errors in infrared absorption spectra (4).
Unveiling the Link Between Fatty Acids and Neurodegenerative Diseases
By Will Wetzel
Spectroscopy’s 2023 Emerging Leader in Molecular Spectroscopy award winner Dmitry Kurouski and his team recently explored the link between fatty acids and neurodegenerative diseases, examining the potential relationship between LCPUFAs and neurodegenerative diseases like diabetes type 2 and Parkinson's disease (5).
References
(1) Smith, B. C. Infrared Spectral Interpretation, In The Beginning I: The Meaning of Peak Positions, Heights, and Widths. Spectroscopy 2024, 39 (4), 18–24.
(2) Hroncich, C. Icons of Spectroscopy: An Interview with Jeanette Grasselli Brown, Part I. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/icons-of-spectroscopy-an-interview-with-jeanette-grasselli-brown-part-i (accessed 2024-05-09).
(3) Thomas, G. The Application of Atomic Spectroscopy Techniques in the Recovery of Critical Raw Materials from Industrial Waste Streams, Part I. Spectroscopy 2024, 39 (4), 8–11.
(4) Workman, Jr., J. Getting to the Bottom of Baseline: New Study Compares Approaches to Correcting Infrared Spectroscopy Artifacts. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/new-study-compares-approaches-to-correcting-infrared-spectroscopy-artifacts (accessed 2024-05-09).
(5) Wetzel, W. Unveiling the Link Between Fatty Acids and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/unveiling-the-link-between-fatty-acids-and-neurodegenerative-diseases (accessed 2024-05-09).
Smart Farming and How IoT and Sensors are Changing Agriculture
Published: February 24th 2025 | Updated: February 24th 2025Researchers highlight the growing role of Internet of Things (IoT) and sensor technologies in enhancing food security and agricultural sustainability. The study, published in Ain Shams Engineering Journal, explores the applications, benefits, and challenges of smart agriculture, emphasizing the potential of optical sensors in monitoring and optimizing farming practices.
Next-Generation Infrared Sensors: Innovations in Semiconductor Materials and Applications
February 19th 2025A recent study provides an in-depth overview of the latest advancements in infrared (IR) semiconductor sensor technology, highlighting new materials, enhanced detection capabilities, and expanding applications across industrial, medical, security, and environmental fields. The research explores how quantum dots, graphene, and novel nanomaterials are revolutionizing IR detection, paving the way for more efficient and versatile sensor systems.
William Weber Coblentz: American Physicist and Pioneer of Infrared Spectroscopy
February 16th 2025W. W. Coblentz was one of the preeminent researchers in the field of infrared spectroscopy with work spanning a broad range of physics, chemistry, spectroscopic theory, instrumentation, applications, and sample handling. The Coblentz Society was established in his name in 1954 by Norman E. Wright and Van Zandt Williams.
