What are some of the applications for Infrared Spectrometry?

Question

I could use some examples of jobs or sectors that may use this type of spectrometry besides research in university , etc.

thank you!

Answer 1

Big Pharma uses it a lot to identify the compositions of chemical mixtures.

It's used in forensic science.

Geology (not as much but still used).

Petroleum industry uses it a lot.

Answer 2

I took a course in spectroscopy this summer and we were required to find an article about spectroscopy every time the class met and present it to the class.

From that I found out that the IR has a huge variety of uses in the food industry!  It apparently is being used to find insect parts in food and for quality control.

Petrochemicals (oil and gas), Forensics (think CSI), Pharmaceuticals, and there are tons more!

Even though IR is a relatively older technology people are finding new creative ways to use it all the time in a variety of industries!

Answer 3

The most common application that I can think of that utilizes IR Spectrometry is in alcohol detection devices. Police often use a device called an Intoxylizer, which is a breathylizer test that is based on IR spectrometry. Here's more information about this device...

The Intoxylizer uses infrared (IR) spectroscopy, which identifies molecules based on the way they absorb IR light. Molecules are constantly vibrating and these vibrations change when they absorb IR light. The changes in vibration include bending and stretching of various bonds. Each type of bond within a molecule absorbs IR at different wavelengths. So, to identify ethanol in a sample, you would have to look at the wavelengths of the bonds in ethanol (C-O, O-H, C-H, C-C) and measure the absorption of IR light. The wavelength helps to identify it as ethanol and the amount of IR absorption tells you how much ethanol is there...

IR is also used as a quality control tool in industry. By measuring at a specific frequency over time, changes in the character or quantity of a particular bond can be measured. This is especially useful in measuring the degree of polymerization in polymer manufacture. Modern research machines can take infrared measurements across the whole range of interest as frequently as 32 times a second. This can be done whilst simultaneous measurements are made using other techniques. This makes the observations of chemical reactions and processes quicker and more accurate.