Spectroscopy - May 2008 - (Page 34)

34 SPECTROSCOPY GLOBAL EDITION MAY 2008 ing, Ltd. (Oulu, Finland). Earlier, it was mentioned that Harrick now offers accessories that are interfaced via optical fibers. NIR and Raman systems have long been interfaced via fiber optics, and for some, mid-infrared has been out of reach for fibers. In reality, this has not been the case, and Remspec has long been a pioneer in mid-IR optical fiber interfaces and has focused on reaction monitoring systems for both FT-IR and Raman. This year at Pittcon, Remspec featured new software packages, VizIR and VizRaman, and ReactionSleuth for its reaction monitoring systems. VizIR and VizRaman are data collection packages used to run the company’s ReactionView (FT-IR) and Verax (Raman) systems, respectively. Another company, High Tech Photonics, offers a range of IR fiber-optic probes for transmission–reflection measurements, and a choice of mid-IR transmitting optical fibers. Two types of fiber are chalcogenide (As-S glass), designated CIR-fibers, and silver halide (AgCl:AgBr solid solution crystals), which are designated PIR-fibers. The fibers are differentiated in terms of their degrees of light attenuation and their spectral ranges. Raman usually is not viewed as a technique suitable for trace analysis. For a long time, simply measuring the spectrum of a single sample or substrate proved to be a challenge. One technique mentioned earlier for enhancing the sensitivity of Raman spectroscopy is a sampling technique called SERS. A UK company called D3 Technologies presented a range of SERS solutions based on its proprietary substrate, Klarite. The material is supplied as a disposable solid phase substrate in the form of a chip or mounted on a microscope slide. It is claimed that for certain compounds, the Raman signal can be boosted up to 1 million times. Application examples include dilute solutions (dosage levels) of pharmaceutical products, proteins, and biological materials. When combined with suitable sampling, it can be used for explosives detection and homeland security applications. A new optical technology for biochemical detection and for other liquid-based measurements, known as SpectroSens, was introduced by Stratophase, a spin-off company from the University of Southampton, England. SpectroSens is an optical chip that can measure variations in refractive index to better than 1 ppm. It can directly measure chemical substances via multiple refractive index measurements. One example is the measurement of biological materials dissolved in water by interaction with antibodies attached to the sensor surface. A novel light engine technology primarily designed for life science and bioanalytical instrument applications was introduced by Lumencor. The source is designed as a single unit, offering highpower, narrow bandwidth light–radiation over the UV–vis–IR spectral region. The system offered provides the follow-

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Spectroscopy - May 2008 Contents A Pragmatic Approach to Managing Interferences in ICP-MS Pittcon 2008: Back to New Orleans and Coffee and Beignets for Breakfast News Market Profile Calendar

Spectroscopy - May 2008

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