Recent advances in mid- and near-infrared spectroscopy with applications for research and teaching, focusing on petrochemistry and biotechnology relevant products

Abstract

Mid- and near-infrared spectroscopy is introduced as a versatile analytical method for characterizing liquid and solid chemicals as obtained from petrochemistry and biotechnology processes. Besides normal transmission measurements, special equipment with silver halide fiber-optic probes allowing efficient analysis based on mid-infrared attenuated total reflection, and an accessory for near-infrared diffuse reflection measurements, are presented. The latter technique can be used advantageously for powdered samples such as microalgae biomass and polysaccharides, as well as for different tissues such as meat samples. The advantages and disadvantages of both methods, which can be used for industrial process monitoring and chemical quality control applications, are discussed, and have been used in several research projects of BSc students within their degree course of bio- and nano-technologies of our University of Applied Sciences.

Quantitative Evaluation of the Emissions of a Transport Engine Operating with Diesel-Biodiesel

“…Figure 5 shows the characteristic spectrum for D100, B100, B2, B5, and B20, where a bandwidth in ≈2800-3000 cm −1 is observed and some characteristic peaks at 1450, 1306, 1076, and 837 cm −1 are also observed. The obtained results indicate that there is no presence of molecules of other substances and our results coincide with those reported in the literature [39,40], which helps us to guarantee the good quality of our biodiesel.…”

“…A decrease in the intensity of the peaks can be observed as the presence of biodiesel increases Energies 2020, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 7 of 15 some characteristic peaks at 1450, 1306, 1076, and 837 cm −1 are also observed. The obtained results indicate that there is no presence of molecules of other substances and our results coincide with those reported in the literature [39,40], which helps us to guarantee the good quality of our biodiesel.…”

Physico‐optical properties of a crosslinked hyaluronic acid scaffold for biomedical applications

“…FTIR spectroscopy is largely adopted for controlling production processes of biotechnological compounds and, in the present case, it has been used for monitoring the modification induced in native HA by the crosslinking protocol. In Figure (a), the FTIR spectrum of unmodified HA powder is reported for the 4000–500 cm −1 region.…”

Physiological Sample Uniformity and Time–Course Stability in Lined-Up Structure of Human Cardiomyocyte Network for In vitro Predictive Drug-Induced Cardiotoxicity

“…One of them deals with laboratory courses that may help to characterize the IR camera response [2], the second discusses potential applications for nondestructive testing techniques [3] and the third gives an example of how IR thermal imaging may be used to understand cloud cover of the Earth [4], which is the prerequisite for successful climate modelling. The next two papers cover the vast field of IR spectroscopy [5,6]. The first of these deals with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in the spectral range from 2.5 to 25 μm, studying e.g.…”

“…ro-vibrational excitations in gases or optical phonon interactions within solids [5]. The second deals mostly with the spectroscopy of liquids such as biofuels and special techniques such as attenuated total reflectance [6]. The two final papers deal with what seem to be wholly different scientific fields [7,8].…”