title: Evaluation of portable Raman spectrometer with 1064 nm excitation for geological and forensic applications.
abstract: The development of miniaturized Raman instrumentation is in demand for applications relevant to forensic, pharmaceutical and art analyses, as well as geosciences, and planetary exploration. In this study we report on evaluation of a portable dispersive Raman spectrometer equipped with 1064 nm laser excitation. Selected samples from geological, geobiological and forensic areas of interest have been studied from which the advantages, disadvantages and the analytical potential of the instrument are assessed based on a comparison with bench instrumentation and other portable Raman spectrometers using 785 nm excitation. It is demonstrated that the instrument operating with 1064 nm excitation has potential for expanding the number and types of samples that can be measured by miniaturized Raman spectroscopy without interfering fluorescence background emission. It includes inorganic and organic minerals, biomolecules within living lichen and endolithic cyanobacteria as well as drugs of abuse and explosives.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic. vitek2@natur.cuni.cz
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vítek
authors.forename: Esam M A
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Howell G M
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jehlička
authors.forename: Rick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Page
mesh_terms: D018647:Amber / Q000032:analysis; D001565:Benzoates / Q000032:analysis; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis; D002129:Calcium Oxalate / Q000032:analysis; D053834:Explosive Agents / Q000032:analysis; D044707:Forensic Sciences / Q000379:methods*; D005580:Fossils; D005844:Geology / Q000379:methods*; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000032:analysis; D017669:Mercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000032:analysis; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D018647:Amber; D001565:Benzoates; D001572:Benzofurans; D053834:Explosive Agents; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D017669:Mercury Compounds; D008903:Minerals; D011137:Polystyrenes; D019207:beta Carotene; C073339:usnic acid; C016189:whewellite; D002129:Calcium Oxalate; C015339:mellitic acid; C034211:cinnabar