Ocean Insight experts offer their insights on NIR spectroscopy, including its advantages versus other techniques, considerations with sampling, and applications where it’s especially effective.
About Ocean Insight Experts
Originally captured as part of the Applied Spectral Knowledge Podcast series, this conversation on near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was led by Yvette Mattley, Ocean Insight’s Lab Services Manager, and features Ty Olmstead, Vice President, Engineering and Product Management; Joe Bonvallet, Senior Application Scientist; and former colleague Troy McKay, a systems engineer and expert in imaging science.
Note: These comments have been edited for length and clarity. To hear the complete discussion, tune in to our NIR Spectroscopy: Expert Insights podcast.
What is the NIR Wavelength Range?
Yvette Mattley (YM): I’ve done a lot of work in the UV and Visible wavelength ranges, but it’s my time at Ocean Insight that introduced me to the NIR. We talked before the podcast how each of us defines the NIR wavelength range. So, as a life scientist and biochemist, the NIR wavelength range to me is from just above where the Visible wavelength range cuts off – so, 780 nm out to 2500 nm.
Troy McKay (TMK): Well, my background began in remote sensing. So, I view the different spectral ranges based on how they’re applied in remote sensing. And that means where they fall within the atmospheric windows: NIR would be from 800-1400 nm and then the SWIR [shortwave infrared] would begin at wavelengths greater than 1400 nm out to 2500 nm.
Joe Bonvallet (JB): To me, it’s a little bit different. I like to think of it more in terms of wave numbers. I think of it as a broader range — 4000 wave numbers out to 14000 wave numbers, where you’re looking at aliphatic or aromatic O-H stretches or your amine-type groups.