Introduction to Infrared Spectroscopy

The MIRAN SapphIRe Infrared Analyzer quickly measures concentrations of a wide range of chemical substances present in the air. In identifying and measuring various gases in the air, it uses fundamental principles of how molecules composing these substances absorb infrared energy. The MIRAN SapphIRe measures real-time concentrations of gases in low levels from 10 parts-per-billion (ppb) up to 40 parts-per-million (ppm) depending on the gas (see the compound list on next page). The SapphIRe is a very sensitive instrument used in a wide variety of applications such as:

• Hazardous waste sites
• Clean-up of spills
• Protecting workers from toxic vapors
• Refineries
• Leak detection for compliance
• Pulp and paper plants
• Hazardous materials response
• Terrorist chemical attacks

How Does a Spectrophotometer Work?

The analysis of chemical compounds involves identifying both the type of molecules that comprise these substances (qualitative analysis) and the quantity of molecules present in a given sample (quantitative analysis). The SapphIRe Analyzer does both. It identifies quantities of known gases in the atmosphere and determines how much of those substances (their concentration) is in the sample. It does this by sending a beam of infrared energy at a selected wavelength through a sample of the substance and then measuring how much of the infrared energy gets through the sample.

Spectrophotometer