Spectroscopy

Spectroscopy: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis

Spectroscopy is a field of analysis that uses the interaction of light to analyze and detect components within a sample. Light (electromagnetic radiation) can provide different types of information due to the electromagnetic spectrum. The electromagnetic spectrum encompasses short and long wavelengths; 10^-4nm to 10⁹nm.

Applications of Spectroscopy

Spectroscopy is used to analyze a sample for identification or purity measurements. Some of the fields which employ spectroscopy include:

Analytical chemistry
Forensics
Food and beverage
Drug discovery
Environmental
Clinical
Petrochemical
Pharmaceutical
Astronomy
And more!

What Types of Instruments Are Included In Spectroscopy Equipment?

There are a variety of spectroscopy instrumentation available in the market:

In light spectroscopy, light is shone through the sample, the light is dispersed and creates a spectrum, which is unique to each compound, that can then be used to determine the components, mass, and luminosity of the sample.

Acoustic spectroscopy uses sound waves to determine the physical properties of a sample. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, on the other hand, uses a sample placed into a magnetic field and radio waves sent into the sample to create a NMR spectrum for identifying and analyzing a sample.

AAS Spectrometer

What Are Some Considerations And Features To Keep In Mind?

Depending on the samples being analyzed and the type of data (quantitative or qualitative) will determine the best system for your research and testing requirements. Other considerations include sensitivity, accuracy, resolution, speed, throughput, and cost of the system.