Analysis of mixtures by FT-IR: Spatial and spectral separation of complex samples

Many analytical challenges to modern laboratories involve mixtures, whether formulated or contaminated. The infrared spectra of mixtures exhibit peaks from each component, making separation of peaks due to specific components an essential part of the analysis. This can be accomplished in two ways - spatial separation of components through microscopy or spectral separation through multicomponent searches. In either case, the final result should not just be a chemical image or spectrum, but actionable information. Further, users of varying skill levels need to obtain the same results, so consistency must be a core metric of the problem-solving tools.