Metal Hydroxide Measurement Using Handheld and Portable Raman

It is a common belief that identifying and differentiating different metal hydroxides is not viable with handheld Raman spectrometers. This study demonstrates that B&W Tek’s Handheld and Portable Raman with a low wavenumber cutoff can identify commonly used metal hydroxides (NaOH, KOH, Mg(OH)2, and LiOH).

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Quantitative Analysis of Low Concentration Borate and Sulfate Solutions using a Portable Raman

This application note demonstrates how to use a gravimetric analysis for measuring desired constituents in mixed chemicals or solution. The conventional method of monitoring H3BO3 concentration and Na2SO4 concentrations will be used here, too!

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Identification of Starting Materials in Pharmaceutical industry using STRam®-1064

100% starting materials identification testing is one of the FDA’s directives as per 211.84 for FDA regulated industries such as Pharmaceutical, Vaccines, Cosmetics, Tobacco, Animal veterinary products, Food, etc. STRam®-1064 is a Raman analyzer uniquely suited to measure samples through thick packaging materials such as plastics, multilayer kraft paper sacks, and HDPE containers, and a long wavelength laser to suppress fluorescence.

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Spectral Preprocessing for Raman Quantitative Analysis

Raman spectroscopy has become an increasingly common technique for process analytics in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries due to its nondestructive measurements, fast analysis times, and ability to do both qualitative and quantitative analysis. In this technical note, we discuss preprocessing options when working with this chemometric data so that the reader becomes comfortable applying them to build Raman quantitative models.

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The Importance of Relative Intensity Correction of Raman Data and How to Utilize it for i-Raman Series Instruments in BWSpec

An important aspect of collecting Raman data to make it comparable across instruments is correcting for the spectrometer’s relative intensity, since the relative response for each Raman spectrometer is unique. This technical note explains the relative intensity correction, and how it is applied to portable Raman data collected in the BWSpec software during the data collection, or subsequently.

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Quantitative Analysis of a Water-soluble Polymer Using the i-Raman EX Spectrometer

Vibrational spectroscopy is a well-established, powerful tool for polymer characterization. In this application note, we’ll explore how aqueous based water-soluble polymers(10-20% solids) can be rapidly and easily measured using the i-Raman EX portable Raman spectrometer.

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Identification of Microplastics with Portable Raman Microscopy

With the growth of microplastics research in recent years, it has become crucial to expand the capabilities of research laboratories to routinely analyze the chemical composition of candidate microplastics from environmental samples. Spectroscopic techniques are critical as they can confirm manual microplastic designation through polymer identification. In this application note, we’ll explore the use of portable Raman microscopy for the identification of microplastics recovered from surface estuary waters.

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Historical Stamp Inks Identification with i-Raman EX®

This app note details how the i-Raman EX portable Raman spectrometer was utilized to identify colorants used in stamps on a historical envelope from 1885 while maintaining sample integrity

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Proper Care and Handling of Fiber-optic Cables

This app note discusses the proper care and maintenance required for fiber optic cable sampling accessories to ensure measurement quality and fiber durability.

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See Through Raman Technology: Expanded capabilities for through package identification using 785 nm and 1064 nm excitation Raman

This app note discusses how B&W Tek's STRaman technology expands the capability of Raman spectroscopy to measure samples beneath diffusely scattering packaging material.

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QTRam® for Content Uniformity Analysis of Low-Dose Pharmaceutical Tablets

In this app note, acetaminophen is used to demonstrate the capability of the QTRam compact transmission Raman analyzer to quantify low concentrations of API in compressed tablets.

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Micro-Raman Spectroscopy in Thin Section Analysis of Rock Mineralogy

This app note by Peter Muller describes his work with micro-Raman spectroscopy for mineral identification in polished rock thin sections using a B&W Tek i-Raman® Plus portable Raman system

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Portable Transmission Raman Spectroscopy for At-Line Content Uniformity Testing of Pharmaceutical Tablets

Content uniformity (CU) testing is a crucial task in pharmaceutical manufacturing, as it ensures that each product that reaches a consumer contains a safe dosage of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). Transmission Raman spectroscopy is quickly emerging as a valued technique for CU testing due to its high chemical specificity with complex pharmaceutical formulations that contain multiple components.

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Portable Raman for Measurement of Crystalline Silica Aerosol

Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control in Cincinnati, Ohio have shown the feasibility or near real-time measurements of aerosol particles at levels close to hazardous limits. They developed calibration curves and detection levels of the alpha quartz from the Raman signal as collected using the portable i-Raman Plus system.

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STRaman™ Technology: Raman for See Through Material Identification

In this application note, a new Raman system design is presented that expands the applicability of Raman to See Through diffusely scattering media such as opaque packaging materials, as well as to measure the Raman spectrum and identify thermolabile, photolabile, or heterogeneous samples.

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Bonanza – Exploring the unlimited possibilities of B&W Tek’s miniature spectrometers

In preparation for a science-driven exploratory expedition was the ‘Exomars’ payload mission launched in 2018, a Raman Spectrometer manufactured by B&W Tek was used in analysis to show feasibility of Raman for this exploratory mission. This instrument had the vital responsibility to analyze powdered samples drilled from a sedimentary rock, breccia - commonly found on Mars.

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Carbon Analysis with High Signal -Throughput | Portable Raman Spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy is a valuable tool for characterization of carbon nanomaterials due to its selectivity, speed, and ability to measure samples nondestructively. Raman spectra of carbon materials are typically quite simple but can reveal a wealth of information about the internal microcrystalline structures based on peak positions, shape, and relative intensity.

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Portable Raman spectroscopy for an in-situ monitoring the ripening of tomato fruits

Ripening is one of the most important transformations that fruits and vegetables suffer, from an unripe to a ripe stage. In this study, it was followed up and analyzed the variations in the composition of tomato fruits at different ripening stages (green or unripe, orange or middle ripe, red or ripe and brown or overripe). The results obtained from the Raman measurements carried out showed a change in the composition of tomato fruits in the transit from green to brown.

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Raman identification of cuneiform tablet pigments: emphasis and colour technology in ancient Mesopotamia

Cuneiform tablets tell the life and culture of Sumerian people in a sort of black and white tale because of the binary engraving technique. In this application note, non-destructive micro-Raman spectroscopy was utilized to analyze both the surface and the depth of the engraving signs and to determine if and to what purpose colors were applied in the studied Sumerian cuneiform tablets.

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Portable Raman Spectroscopy in Forensics: Explosive Residues and Inflammable Liquids

Spectroscopic techniques are showing an increase in their potential applications in the forensic field due to the novel instrumentation which is being developed to be faster, more sensitive, more compact and portable and more flexible to analyse a wider variety of substances. In this application note, demanding and challenging applications in which an in‐situ standoff identification of samples might be advisable, were tested using Raman spectroscopy.

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The Advantages of a Compact, Thermoelectrically-Cooled Fiber Optic Spectrometer for Raman and Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Compact spectrometers using array detectors and fiber optic light inputs are being utilized for a wide variety of spectroscopic applications.

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Quantification of Urea in Ethanol by Raman Spectroscopy

In this application note, we present the quantification of the concentration of urea in ethanol by Raman Spectroscopy and we show how this method can be employed for determining the percentage of urea in a solid inclusion compound with stearic acid.

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Fast and Selective Detection of Trigonelline, a Coffee Quality Marker, Using a Portable Raman Spectrometer

Quality control in the food industry is a key issue that requires rapid, efficient and selective methods that could discriminate the products, detect fraudulent or accidental adulterations, and identify the content of some biomarkers within a particular process of storage conditions. For this, Raman spectroscopy in conjunction with the optical properties of metallic nanostructures is a powerful technique that can be implemented in food analysis.

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Raman Spectroscopy as a Tool for Process Analytical Technology

Raman spectroscopy is a well-suited spectroscopic technique for process development and control within development laboratories in chemical, pharmaceutical and other industries. This article demonstrates the utility of portable Raman spectroscopy as a simple and versatile tool for process analytical technology (PAT) in regards to raw material identification, in-situ monitoring of reactions in developing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and for real-time process monitoring.

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Rapid Analysis of Textiles with Portable Near Infrared Spectroscopy

NIR spectroscopy is a green technology that is non-destructive, efficient, rapid and accurate, with no sample preparation needed. When applied to the rapid identification of textiles, it removes the need for strong chemical solvents to dissolve the samples, meaning that there is no destructive sampling, greater safety for the operators, and no hazardous materials output into the environment.

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Combined Electrochemical Raman Spectroscopy for Process Characterization

Raman spectroscopy has proven to be an effective technology to characterize conductive polymers in combination with conventional electrochemical experiments. Coupled with electrochemical techniques, it allows in-situ characterization of the molecular structure changes of polymers during the course of electrochemical reactions.

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Low Frequency Raman Spectroscopy

Raman Spectroscopy is an advantageous analytical tool that allows for the measurement of molecular structure and identifying chemical composition of materials based on the rotational and vibrational modes of a molecule. Access to lower frequency regions with Raman spectroscopy provides key information for applications in protein characterization, polymorph detection and identification, along with material phase and structure determination.

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Raman Spectroscopy in Archaeological Studies

Chemical identification is an important part of the study of archaeological artefacts and artworks. This information can be obtained through nondestructive Raman analysis directly within the environment in which the artefacts are discovered. This information is extremely helpful in forming the basis of identifying pigments, dyes and paints used; thus indicating when and how a piece was made, giving insight into the time period of creation, and suggesting the authenticity of the object.

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Portable Raman Instrumentation for SERS Applications

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has attracted significant attention in recent years due to rising interest in trace level detection in the field for applications such as environmental safety, food safety, and homeland security. The development of SERS technology is being driven by a need to overcome the technical barrier of the lower detection limit with Raman spectroscopy as well as the need for trace level detection of explosive compounds, chemical residuals, and biomedical diagnostics.

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Portable Raman Spectroscopy for the Study of Polymorphs and Monitoring Polymorphic Transitions

Raman spectroscopy is used for material characterization by analyzing molecular or crystal symmetrical vibrations and rotations that are excited by a laser, and exhibit vibrations specific to the molecular bonds and crystal arrangements in the molecules. Due to its excellent spectral specificity, Raman technology is a valuable tool in distinguishing different polymorphs, and can also be used in the study of solvate forms.

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Carbon Black At-line Characterization Using a Portable Raman Spectrometer

Carbon black is a form of amorphous carbon. It is mainly used as reinforcement filler in automobile tires and other rubber products, but is also used in pigments, paint, and carbon paper. Raman spectroscopy is a very effective analytical technology to characterize carbon materials. The fast characterization of carbon black material using Raman spectroscopy is discussed here to demonstrate that Raman technology is well suited for carbon black material characterization.

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Choosing the Most Suitable Laser Wavelength For Your Raman Application

Dispersive Raman spectroscopy has increasingly been implemented for material identification due to its portability and sampling flexibility. When choosing a Raman instrument, a primary concern is the wavelength of the laser that is integrated into the Raman spectrometer system. Though the Raman shift of any material is only related to the material’s specific chemical structure and is independent of the excitation wavelength, different wavelengths have their strengths and weaknesses.

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B&W Tek Raman Solution Suite for Forensics Applications

Law enforcement personnel, laboratory technicians, crime scene investigators and many others face a significant challenge for identification of materials in a forensic investigation, as they must routinely examine materials such as gun powder residue, drugs of abuse, hair sampling, chemical precursors and more. In these cases, technologies such as Raman spectroscopy can be successfully used for cursory identification of multiple forensic sample types either directly in the field or in the lab.

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Identification of Forensic Fabrics Using a Portable Raman Spectrometer

At a crime scene, a police officer collects a fiber sample that may prove to be invaluable evidence in identifying a criminal or exonerating an innocent person. In this study, we show how Raman spectroscopy, which has been studied extensively for forensic fiber analysis, is a perfect fit for this scenario because of the high selectivity of Raman signatures, non-destruction nature of the test, and the ability to conduct the analysis without any sample preparation.

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Fast Ingredient Analysis of Edible Oils Using a Portable Raman Spectrometer

Edible oils are not only a major source of nutrition but also a key basic material in the food industry. Vegetable oils are increasingly important because of their high content in mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids in comparison with animal fats. In this application note, the main ingredients of olive oil, camellia oil, arachis oil, sunflower seed oil, and colza oil are analyzed using a portable Raman spectrometer combined with chemometrics software from B&W Tek.

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Identification and Quantification of Methanol in Contaminated Spirits

Over the past several years, an alarming trend has become evident, highlighting serious issues related to contaminated alcohol within the European Union. In September 2012 the Czech Republic officially banned the sale of hard liquor after 20 people died from the consumption of methanol-laced spirits. After an exhaustive study, the Czech Republic turned to the use of portable Raman spectroscopy to quantify methanol in contaminated spirits.

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Quantitative Analysis of Solutions Using a High Resolution Portable Raman Spectrometer

Raman is a well-developed spectroscopic tool for molecular identification and is widely accepted for qualitative analysis where it can provide rapid identification of materials, often at their point of use or delivery. Due to the high resolution that Raman can provide, it is also used for structural elucidation as well as quantitative analysis.

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Lymph-node Test Shows Clinical Potential

A revolutionary method for identifying breast cancer in lymph nodes using Raman spectroscopy is being tested by researchers and surgeons at a UK hospital.

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In-situ Monitoring of a Moisture-Induced Polymorphic Transition using Raman Spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy is a widely used physical characterization technique in the pharmaceutical industry. In particular, Raman spectroscopy is used to identify different polymorphic forms.

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High Performance Diode Laser Enables Low-Cost Raman Spectroscopy

A narrow linewidth, wavelength stabilized diode laser has been developed for low-cost Raman spectroscopy applications.

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Fundamentals of Raman Spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy is a nondestructive and highly versatile technique for analysis of chemicals, both organic and inorganic. It is used in industry, bioscience, medical diagnosis, forensics, and many other areas.

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The Benefits of Raman Spectroscopy for the Identification and Characterization of Polymers

The benefits of Raman spectroscopy are well recognized for the molecular identification of unknown samples and being used routinely in various applications areas.

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