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Application of Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy for identification of uranium minerals in the environment
The “Application of Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy for identification of uranium minerals in the environment” is described by Eric Faulques, Florian Massuyeau, Nataliya Kalashnyk and Dale Perry. Uranium forms a large number of compounds and complexes, and these are most helpful in the study of uranium, its chemistry and transport in the environment. Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy provide complementary information and are powerful tools for direct speciation of uranium and identification of natural uranyl minerals relevant to the environment.
Orthogonal spectroscopic techniques for the early developability assessment of therapeutic protein candidates
Orthogonal spectroscopic techniques for the early developability assessment of therapeutic protein candidates” are described by Patrick Garidel, Anne Karow and Michaela Blech. Due to its cost and time implications, in the early development phase of drug discovery the use of othogonal techniques, based on different physical observables, is important for correct decision-making.
Praveen Ashok and Kishan Dholakia of St Andrews University, UK, describe the scope of optofluidic devices that can be implemented using the waveguide confined Raman spectroscopy (WCRS) technique they have developed. I am particularly impressed by the sample size of whisky shown in Figure 2—true Scottish style!
Horiba Scientific has incorporated the SuperK Extreme line of white-light lasers from NKT Photonics into its line of spectrofluorometers. Under the agreement, Horiba has fully integrated the lasers into its hardware and software and will sell the combined product as a fully supported system globally.
The LifeSpec II is a compact, fully integrated, high-performance fluorescence lifetime spectrometer designed for use with high-repetition rate pulsed femtosecond, picosecond and supercontinuum lasers. The system is a fully-automated solution, combining hardware and software in a single package for fundamental research and routine laboratory applications. It is compatible with TCSPC techniques and enables digital counting to reduce background noise, real-time direct measurement and observation and the extraction of long and short-lifetimes with large and small amplitudes from a single measurement. Features include a temporally subtractive double monochromator which provides spectral resolution while eliminating the effect of temporal dispersion, advanced software for controlling the instrument and enabling ultra-fast data acquisition with data acquisition modes which range from fluorescence decay and time-resolved spectra through to automated time-resolved anisotropy measurements and temperature maps. The standard configuration is supplied with one detector but a configuration with two detectors can be specified on purchase. At least one picosecond pulsed diode laser, pulsed LED or Ti:Sapphire laser is required for operation.
In the pharmaceutical industry, biologicals are of increasing interest due to their high therapeutic benefits. Amongst many other questions, the stability of new canditates is of great importance. Patrick Garidel describes this in “Right angle light scattering protein thermostability screening: from research to development”. The ability of this and other fluorescence-based techniques to detect very small quantities is of great benefit.
A large number of illnesses stem from misfolded proteins, molecules composed of amino acids. Researchers at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, have now studied protein misfolding using a special spectroscopic technique— single-molecule fluorescence. Misfolding, as they report in Nature, is more frequent if the sequence of the amino acids in the neighbouring protein domains is very similar.
This second Product Focus is on Molecular Spectroscopy, and a number of companies have provided information on their key products, their applications and features.
The eyes of sheep infected with scrapie—a neurological disorder similar to mad cow disease—return an intense, almost-white glow when they're illuminated with blue excitation light, according to a research project led by Iowa State University's Jacob Petrich.
Biomedical engineers are developing a hand-held device called a SpectroPen that could help surgeons see the edges of tumours in human patients in real time during surgery. Statistics indicate that complete removal, or resection, is the single most important predictor of patient survival for most solid tumours.
DynaMyc, the latest confocal fluorescence mapping system from Horiba Scientific, now generates lifetime images faster than before.
Jean-Philippe Echarda and Loïc BertrandbaLaboratoire de recherche et de restauration, Musée de la musique, Cité de la musique, 221 avenue Jean Jaurès, 75019 Paris, France. E-mail: email@example.comIPANEMA, synchrotron SOLEIL, Saint-Aubin, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
For the past two centuries, the nature of the varnishes coating historical instruments has been a much debated subject. Focusing in particular on the varnishes used for coating violins made by the Italian instrument-maker Antonio Stradivari, numerous hypotheses have been raised by instrument-makers, experts, musicians and chemists, without reaching a general understanding of the ancient varnishing techniques. A few years ago, we decided to work on this topic using several complementary approaches for materials characterisation and study of historical sources (ancient varnish recipes, etc.).
There has been a renewed interest in instrumental qualification and standardisation by the fluorescence community over the last 10 years, driven by the increasing number of quantitative chemical assays that use fluorescence detection and the presence of regulations in some of these areas.
Luis Moreno of Hitachi High Technologies America introduces their new UV and fluorescence spectrophotometers
Horiba has announced the construction of a new research facility and European headquarters on the campus of the École Polytechnique in Paris. The new centre will give Horiba access to a pool of innovative technologies, resources and personnel from nearby academic, government and commercial research centres. It is due to open in late 2011. www.horiba.com/uk/scientific
Christopher BurgessBurgess Analytical Consultancy Limited, ‘Rose Rae’, The Lendings, Startforth, Barnard Castle, Co. Durham, DL 12 9AB, UKJohn HammondStarna Scientific Ltd, 52–54 Fowler Road, Hainault Business Park, Hainault, Essex, IG6 3UT, UK
Continuing the series of articles on spectroscopy, we return principally to the UV-visible area of the spectrum, but this time to the science of luminescence (fluorescence and phosphorimetry), in all its many forms. Given the diversity of the application areas and instrument types available, in such an article we can only briefly give an overview of the topic and interested parties are, therefore, recommended to follow-up the listed references for more in-depth discussion on the points raised.
The new NeoFox Sport from Ocean Optics is a portable, hand-held optical oxygen sensor for measuring dissolved and gaseous oxygen pressure in a variety of media. Comprised of a probe- or patch-based oxygen sensor, plus a phase fluorometer, the fluorescence-based system includes an on-board microprocessor with low-power OLED display, a user interface and a battery pack.