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Non-contact, Label-free Monitoring of Cells and Extracellular Matrix using Raman Spectroscopy
Published on: May 29, 2012
A review of advances in deep-ocean Raman spectroscopy
Xin Zhang1, William J Kirkwood, Peter M Walz
1Key Lab of Marine Geology and Environment Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, PR China.
Applied Spectroscopy
|March 28, 2012
Summary
Raman spectroscopy deployed on remotely operated vehicles enables real-time chemical analysis in deep-sea environments. This technology accurately measures gas hydrates, methane, and sulfides in situ, advancing ocean science.
Area of Science:
- Deep-sea science
- Chemical oceanography
- Geoscience
Background:
- Raman spectroscopy has advanced significantly for deep-ocean applications.
- Instrumentation is now deployed on remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for power, data, and precise positioning.
- Compact, robust Raman units have proven reliable in over 100 deep-sea deployments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the progress and applications of Raman spectroscopy in deep-ocean science.
- To highlight the capabilities for in situ chemical analysis of seawater, pore waters, and gas hydrates.
- To discuss new developments and future applications in marine research.
Main Methods:
- Deployment of Raman spectroscopy instrumentation on remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).
- Real-time spectral acquisition and analysis in the control room for immediate decision-making.
- In situ quantification of solutes using self-referencing to the water bending peak.
Main Results:
- Successful detection of gas hydrate structure and composition, both natural and experimental.
- In situ measurement of dissolved methane and sulfide in sediment pore waters, overcoming previous fluorescence limitations.
- Significant discrepancies (approx. ×30) found between in situ Raman measurements and recovered core samples for high gas flux areas.
Conclusions:
- Raman spectroscopy on ROVs is a powerful tool for real-time deep-sea chemical analysis.
- The technology enables accurate in situ measurements previously unattainable.
- Future applications include studying deep-sea biology and monitoring CO(2) sequestration sites.
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