In this article, Metrohm Middle East discusses how their portable Raman microscopy equipment can be utilized in the measurement of microplastics, which are becoming a pollutant of ever-greater concern.
Portable Raman Microscopy for Identification of Microplastics
Plastic litter has emerged as a pollutant of concern in the oceans around the world over the past few decades. Defined as plastic litter that is smaller than 5 mm, microplastic is thought to be the most common form of marine debris.
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Microplastics include both small manufactured items like beads and fibers, known as primary microplastics, plus items that result from fragmentation of larger plastic items by a combination of chemical, physical and biological processes and include fragments, foams and films, known as secondary microplastics.
Plastic marine debris usually starts as land-derived waste and then enters the coastal ocean and estuaries.
Raw Material Verification of Cellulose
Found within the pharmaceutical world, cellulose is an extremely common, naturally-derived raw material. It supplies the underlying foundation for a wide range of applications. Cellulose is employed as an excipient in sunscreens, drug formulations, gauze, creams, and cotton; it has multiple uses in pharmaceutical applications.
Traditional handheld Raman using a 785 nm laser is restricted in its capability to identify and verify cellulose accurately, despite the prevalence of cellulose and its derivatives in pharmaceutical products. This is because the fluorescence produced is usually too overwhelming (Fig. 1, red spectrum).
In order to enable handheld Raman to verify fluorescence of cellulose materials easily in a pharmaceutical setting, the NanoRam
Historical Stamp Inks Identification with a Portable Raman
Stamps are cultural heritage objects which give an amount of historical information that is invaluable. There is an increase in the amount of counterfeit historical inks; this is because historical stamps can hold a high monetary value as collector’s items. It is crucial that fraudulent stamps are able to be identified and removed from the market.
The following review utilizes portable Raman to identify the colorants which are utilized in stamps on a historical envelope from 1885. The i-Raman EX
® is a portable Raman device with a 1064 nm laser. In order to minimize the fluorescence of the ink that is overwhelming with a 785 nm laser, the i-Raman EX is employed in this study.
Botanical Verification with Raman Instruments
Botanical medicine laid the groundwork for pharmaceutical benefits that exist today before the technological advancements of science. Botanicals come from plant materials and are utilized for their therapeutic and medicinal properties.
They are the key part of the dietary supplement market known as nutraceuticals, which is promoted to the public as a holistic alternative to typical pharmaceutical drugs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate the nutraceutical market as heavily as the pharmaceutical drug market.
Nutraceuticals manufacturers of botanicals adhere to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements under the FDA in order to ensure quality, identity, purity, composition and strength, which qualifies for the necessary testing prior to consumption.