FACSS has announced the winners of the 2012 ANACHEM and Charles Mann awards: Peter Griffiths and Don Pivonka.

The Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies (FACSS) has announced the winners of the 2011 FACSS Innovations Awards. The FACSS Innovation Awards showcase the newest and most creative science debuted orally at a FACSS-organised conference. Shortlisted finalists competed in front of expert panels at the 2011 FACSS conference in Reno, NV, USA (2–7 October 2011). The panel commended the high quality of entries and selected four equal awardees.

The African crested rat chews poisonous bark and then applies its saliva to specialised hairs which provide a most effective protection. Maxime Boulet-Audet and Chris Holland describe this and the use of infrared spectroscopy to learn more about this unusual animal. The new knowledge may even lead to new treatments for human cardiac conditions.

Agilent Technologies has introduced the Cary 630, a FT-IR spectrometer which has been designed for routine laboratory analysis of solids, liquids and gases. It is both small and light, creating a significant decrease in the instrument's footprint in the laboratory. Sampling accessories slide in and out in seconds with no alignment required, intuitive software allows even novice users to quickly analyse samples and the need to use a liquid transmission cell is removed due to the company's liquid sampling technology, the DialPath and TumblIR. Suitable for QA/QC in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, the system is also suitable for use in academic research and teaching laboratories. The multi-language software guides users through every step of operation, while colour-coded alerts make it easy to see whether samples meet specification.

Thermo Fisher Scientific has introduced a new imaging ATR accessory offering enhanced spatial resolution and high-speed data acquisition capabilities for FT-IR chemical imaging applications. This accessory has been designed to seamlessly and effortlessly integrate with the company's range of FT-IR microscopes to enable improved chemical imaging of challenging samples. It is of particular benefit to manufacturers of composite structures, paper products, pharmaceutical dosage forms, biological tissues, polymer films and coatings. It simplifies the task of obtaining high-quality IR spectra in cases of samples that are difficult to prepare for transmission analysis. Observable features in specimens, such as defects, particles, fibres or inks, may be analysed with improved spatial resolution. It can quickly snap into the sample hold feature of the Nicolet iN10, Nicolet iN10 MX and the Nicolet Continuµm microscopes without the need for tools. All standard optics remain available, avoiding any concerns of alignment or down time when switching between sampling modes.

This second Product Focus is on Molecular Spectroscopy, and a number of companies have provided information on their key products, their applications and features.

Researchers from the Basque nanoscience research center, CIC nanoGUNE, and Neaspec GmbH (Germany) have developed an instrument that allows for recording infrared spectra with a thermal source at a resolution that is 100 times better than in conventional infrared spectroscopy. In future, the technique could be applied for analysing the local chemical composition and structure of nanoscale materials in polymer composites, semiconductor devices, minerals or biological tissue.

A joint cooperation between three research groups at nanoGUNE (Donostia, San Sebastian, Spain) reports an innovative method to focus infrared light with tapered transmission lines to nanometre-size dimensions. This device could trigger the development of novel chemical and biological sensing tools, including ultra-small infrared spectrometers and lab-on-a-chip integrated biosensors.

The Coblentz Society presents the ABB-sponsored Bomem–Michelson Award, which is dedicated to the memory of Professor A E. Michelson, developer of the Michelson Interferometer. ABB sponsors the award to honour a scientist who has advanced the technique(s) of vibrational, molecular, Raman or electronic spectroscopy. The recipient of the 2011 Bomem-Michelson Award is Dr Isao Noda of the Proctor and Gamble Company, Cincinnati, Ohio.

PerkinElmer has launched the Frontier FT-IR spectrometer. Part of a new family of spectrometers, its analytical platform meets diverse FT-IR challenges ranging from everyday measurements to the most advanced, complex analyses. The instrument combines high sensitivity with flexibility for many diverse sectors, from polymers and chemicals to consumer goods and pharmaceuticals. The systems' sensitivity and configurability ensure high performance in demanding applications, helping to advance drug development, understand complex chemical and material properties and meet the challenging requirements of research and academia. A modular and upgradeable platform and increased signal-to-noise ratio ensure high-quality spectral performance for near- mid- and infrared analysis. The automated range changing capability allows multiple techniques to be utilised at the touch of a button, with the flexible optical system also permitting the addition of microscopy and imaging systems for detailed materials analysis.

In partnership with Systems Engineering in Japan, Specac has introduced a new top plate for its Golden Gate. The Envirochamber has been specially designed for analysing hazardous samples. The standard version has the sample area sealed within a perspex chamber, allowing hazardous samples, for example, to be positioned on the Golden Gate top plate in a safe environment such as a fume cupboard or glove box and then sealed so the unit can safely be taken back to the spectrometer for analysis. This new top plate comes, as standard, with a diamond crystal but other materials are available upon request and a heated version will be available.

PerkinElmer has announced the availability of the Spectrum Two, an FT-IR spectrometer which has been designed specifically to perform rapid analytical measurements and is suited to a wide range of materials and markets. Compact and easy to use, it is particularly suited to unknown substance identification, material qualification or concentration determination. It can be operated across applications as diverse as fuel and lubricant analysis, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, environmental and polymer analysis and the teaching of these methods in academic laboratories. The instrument's low-maintenance design is intended for use by “anyone, anywhere, anytime”. Incorporating user-friendly touch screen technology, Spectrum Touch allows results to be obtained faster, even by the most inexperienced user, simplifying analysis operations. The innovative software and features ensure consistency and repeatability and a humidity shield protects against environmental effects.

Aabspec has introduced a new, high-performance GC/FT-IR interface, the IX10-8B. The design has as its heart a solid gold light-pipe formed from pure gold using newly developed manufacturing methods. The interface provides very low flow rate capability for good capillary chromatography plus extreme inertness for the most demanding sample types. Additional new technology has been developed enabling higher upper temperature operating limits. The resulting product offers improved performance in capillary GC/FT-IR.

This article describes the analysis of cells from the pulp of the feather by IR spectroscopy and the possibility of using infrared imaging of intact eggs to determine bird gender.

Agilent Technologies Inc. is to buy specific assets of A2 Technologies. These include substantially all of A2 Technologies' intellectual property, technology, employees and its spectroscopy product portfolio. Subject to customary closing conditions, the transaction is expected to be final in mid-February. Financial details were not disclosed.

A2 Technologies has announced its new integrated FT-IR analyser, the ML with DialPath technology, designed for the analysis of liquids. There is a choice of three different pathlengths which are specified when the system is ordered and if lower concentration samples are required, the user can dial in a longer pathlength window set. With this system there is no need to use traditional demountable liquid cells. The analyser can readily accommodate samples with a wide range of viscosities. Cleaning the analyser is as simple as rotating the window away from the fixed window and wiping the liquid sample off both windows.

Spectra Analysis Instruments has announced the commercial availability of the DiscovIR-LC, an FT-IR detector technology providing solid-phase analysis of HPLC and SEC separations. It is a fully-automated, high-performance detection system capable of achieving rigorous, repeatable qualitative analyses that pharmaceutical, polymer chemists and other-industry customers require. It provides a wide range of chemical structure and troubleshooting capabilities in support of development and scale-up for small molecule and polymer formulations.