Laser applications to chemical, security, and environmental analysis: introduction to the feature issue

The non-destructive nature and ability to provide valuable chemical information make IR spectroscopy a versatile technique with broad applications in various scientific and industrial fields. IR spectroscopy is commonly used to identify and characterize organic and inorganic compounds. It provides information about the functional groups present in a molecule and the bonding between atoms. This helps in the structural elucidation of compounds during organic synthesis, pharmaceutical research,...

Photoluminescence offers a wide range of applications due to its inherent sensitivity and selectivity. This technique allows for both direct and indirect analyses of the analyte. Direct quantitative analysis is possible when the analyte exhibits a favorable quantum yield for fluorescence or phosphorescence. However, an indirect analysis may be feasible if the analyte is not fluorescent or phosphorescent, or if the quantum yield is unfavorable. Indirect methods include reacting the analyte with...

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) is a powerful analytical technique used in mass spectrometry. It enables the identification and characterization of various biomolecules, including proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates. MALDI spectrometry is widely employed in biological and medical research, as well as in fields like pharmacology and biochemistry.
The analyte of interest, a biomolecule or a mixture of biomolecules, is mixed with a suitable matrix material. The...

The role of the detectors in High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) is to analyze the solutes as they exit from the chromatographic column. The detector recognizes the solute's property and generates corresponding electrical signals, which are converted into a readable graph of the detector's response versus elution time called a chromatogram at the computer. There are several types of HPLC detectors, each with its own advantages and limitations, depending on the analyte...

AES is a powerful analytical technique, especially effective when used with plasma sources, producing abundant spectra in characteristic emission lines. The Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP), in particular, yields superior quantitative analytical data due to its high stability, low noise, low background, and minimal interferences under optimal experimental conditions. However, newer air-operated microwave sources are emerging as promising alternatives that could be more cost-effective than...

Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) is the common plasma source used in atomic emission spectroscopy (AES), a technique that detects and analyzes various elements in a sample. This method is often called inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES).
There are three main types of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy  (ICP-AES) instruments: sequential, simultaneous multichannel, and Fourier transform instruments, with the latter being less commonly used....