FTIR

Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy finds widespread application to qualitative and quantitative analyses in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, and Environmental Science courses.

Its single most important use has been for the identification of organic compounds, drugs, and pollutants. In addition, the instrument is being used for quantitative analysis of atmospheric pollutants. More recently, infrared absorption spectroscopy is being used as a detector for gas chromatography, where its power for identifying compounds is coupled with the remarkable ability of gas chromatography to separate the components of complex mixtures.

Specific Applications: FT-IR is used in the characterization and identification of organic compounds. The instrument is capable of identifying the various functional groups as well as measures the level of purity of a compound. The application of FT-IR in conjunction with Mass Spectrometry (MS), Ultra-Violet Spectrophotometer (UV), and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) has been the most powerful method of identifying the chemical structures of many compounds. More recently, and with the explosive growth of biotechnology and biomaterials industries, there has been an increase in the need to study biomolecules. The application of FT-IR in conjunction with the Cylindrical Internal Reflectance (CIR) cell has been an especially significant development in studying biomolecules in aqueous solutions. For instance, the secondary structure of proteins has been studied by this method. Furthermore, changes in the secondary structure of proteins as a function of changes in pH, solvent composition, temperature, ligand binding, and exposure to lipids or other compounds in solution (e.g. drugs) have also been studied. FT-IR Microscopy has also become a widely used technique for the identification of microbcontaminants because of its speed, sensitivity, and specificity.

GCMS

Gas Chromatography-mass Spectrometry (GCMS) system is a widely used instrument for qualitative and quantitative analysis of solid, liquid, and gaseous samples. Samples are converted into gaseous ions and then separated on the basis of their mass-to-charge ratio. This technique is capable of providing information about:

1. the qualitative and quantitative composition of both inorganic and organic analytes in complex mixtures;
2. the structure of a wide variety of complex molecular structures;
3. isotopic ratios of atoms in samples; and
4. The structure and composition of solid surfaces.

The HP BCD system is primarily used in organic chemistry, instrumental analysis, and environmental science courses. It is also used in biochemistry and molecular biology courses as well as undergraduate specialized research projects.