Estimation of minimum detectable sample concentrations obtained with near and middle infrared detectors for infrared absorption spectrophotometry.
An expression is given to allow estimation of the minimum detectable sample concentration of a molecular absorber measured by any infrared spectrophotometer using photon or thermal detectors. Typical plots are given of minimum detectable sample concentration vs. wavelength for a hypothetical absorber with a molar absorptivity of unity and for several different photon and thermal detectors. Such plots, used along with the general expression, are useful for selecting the optimum detector for a given infrared measurement and for estimation of the minimum detectable sample concentration measured by a specific spectrometric system.
Winefordner
J D
JD
Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32601, U.S.A.
Cetorelli
J J
JJ
McCarthy
W J
WJ