Spectrometry

Spectrometry is the measurement and analysis of spectra produced when matter interacts with electromagnetic radiation or other energy sources. It provides qualitative information about the composition and structure of a sample, and quantitative information about concentration, abundance, or rate processes.

Most spectrometric methods rely on a light or energy source, a sample interaction region, a dispersive or separating element, and a detector. The resulting spectrum is a plot of intensity as a function of wavelength, frequency, or mass-to-charge ratio, depending on the technique. The choice of technique depends on the sample, desired information, and sensitivity requirements.

Types of spectrometry span optical and instrumental approaches. Optical spectrometry includes ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption and emission, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, as well as fluorescence. Mass spectrometry is a related approach in which molecules are ionized and their mass-to-charge ratios measured by analyzers such as quadrupoles, time-of-flight, or Orbitraps. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is sometimes grouped with spectrometry as a magnetic resonance technique, offering detailed structural information.

Applications extend across chemistry, biology, environmental science, materials science, and medicine. Spectrometric data support qualitative identification, quantitative analysis, and kinetic or mechanistic studies. Limitations include spectral interferences, matrix effects, and the need for calibration and standards.