Beyond Identification: FTIR and FT-NIR for Quantitative Analysis

Introduction

Most labs know FTIR as an identification tool, matching spectra to confirm what a material is. But when it comes to quantifying how much of something is present, many still rely on slower, manual methods like titration, even though infrared spectroscopy can deliver that answer faster, with less sample prep, and without consuming reagents.

This session moves beyond identification to show how FTIR and FT-NIR spectroscopy can be used for robust quantitative analysis, from simple Beer's Law calibrations to advanced chemometric models built on the PerkinElmer Spectrum Two and Spectrum 3 platforms. Using real calibration data, the presentation also shows how pairing Spectrum 3 with the Spotlight Aurora IR microscope extends quantitative analysis down to the scale of a single seed.

Watch this on-demand presentation, hosted by Dr. Warren Edmunds, Senior Field Applications Scientist at PerkinElmer, as he walks through the fundamentals of quantitative infrared analysis and three real-world case studies: determining hydroxyl number in polyols, measuring FAME content in biodiesel, and predicting moisture content in individual agricultural seeds.

Learning Objectives

In this session, you'll learn how to:

• Choose between univariate (Beer's Law) and multivariate (chemometric/PLS) calibration approaches, and understand when each is the right fit for your sample
• Replace slow, manual wet-chemistry methods, such as KOH titration for hydroxyl number, with faster, reagent-free FTIR and FT-NIR quantitative methods
• Apply automated FT-NIR imaging with the Spotlight Aurora IR microscope to achieve high-throughput, non-destructive analysis down to the single-seed level

Whether your lab's priority is routine quality control or advanced method development, this session provides a practical roadmap for moving from qualitative identification to accurate, reliable quantitative results using FTIR and FT-NIR spectroscopy.

Speaker

Dr. Warren Edmunds, Ph.D. Senior Field Applications Scientist, Commercial Material Characterization for North America, PerkinElmer

Originally presented as part of the Advances in Molecular Spectroscopy Symposium: Tutorials, Applications, and Sample Preparation, a two-day virtual symposium co-hosted by Spectroscopy magazine, the Society for Applied Spectroscopy (SAS), and the Coblentz Society, July 2026.