ABSTRACT
On-line monitoring of a model reaction was performed by employing two pulsed mid-infrared Fabry-Pérot quantum cascade lasers (QCL). The emission maxima of the QCLs were located at 1393 and 1080 cm(-1). An optical system of parabolic mirrors and a ZnSe beam splitter combined the two laser beams and allowed a transmission cell to be probed with both QCLs simultaneously. The reaction mixture was pumped continuously through a cell that had an optical path of 48 microm. This dual QCL system allowed fast absorption measurements of the reaction mixture at two distinct wavenumbers. The reaction under study was the oxidation of sulfite to sulfate with hydrogen peroxide acting as oxidant. On-line measurements of the chemical reaction allowed direct, real-time monitoring of sulfate formation and hydrogen peroxide depletion.
ABSTRACT
We report the first successful hyphenation of a Fabry Pérot quantum cascade (QC) laser to a capillary electrophoresis system. This involved use of a dedicated IR-transparent flow cell, made of CaF2, constructed by means of SU-8 based lithography and low temperature wafer bonding techniques. Adenosine, guanosine, xanthosine and adenosine-5'-monophosphate were separated in a borate-containing separation electrolyte (10 mM, pH 9.3). Functional group (carbohydrate) detection was accomplished by use of the 1080 cm(-1) emission line of the available QC-laser. The assessable optical path length could be increased, from the normally available 10-15 microm in CE-FTIR analyses, to 60 microm using this powerful mid-infrared laser and aqueous solutions.
