subject: Use Of Nir Analyzer In Various Fields [print this page] NIR analyzer is used in various fields including chemicals, research and development, nutraceuticals and petrochemicals. For this article, uses of NIR will be discussed for pulp and paper, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, polymers and plastics, and textile.
Since the beginning of 1990s, NIR has been used for in-line and at-line monitoring of bioprocess media. It is used to predict the key analytes of a bioreactor in real time. This is beneficial for the timely control of the nutrients as well as the maximum optimization of it. There are brands of NIR analyzer that can even monitor microbial and mammalian cell cultures as accurate and as reliable as that of off-line methods in chemistry. Some of the biotechnology analytes that can be used in NIR analysis are lactate, glucose, glutamine, ammonia, product titer, glutamate, biomass and acetate.
The importance of NIR analyzer in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products is evident starting from the identification of raw materials up to the measurement and uniformity of the content dosage forms. In Canada and Europe, there is a law indicating 100% container testing inspection for the raw materials. By using NIR, the time and skill level required to meet the said requirement is greatly reduced. Not only that, NIR is also applied in terms of blend uniformity, drying and coating, granulation and in the analysis of particle size.
Polymer attributes are effectively measured using NIR analyzer since the early 1950s. The NIR is more commonly used to analyze raw material purity, thermoplastic production and moisture content. It is an excellent tool in the polymers and plastic industry for improving production consistency and in determining end-points of reaction.
The pulp and paper industry utilizes NIR analyzer or NIR Spectrometer to determine quantitative and qualitative data about lignin content and timber materials. The device is used to quickly point out the various species of wood, whether it is a hardwood, softwood or heartwood.
In the textile industry, NIR analyzer is used to differentiate various fiber types especially for carpet recycling. For blend analysis for those who are going to use different kinds of polymers fibers, NIR is also used for analysis. NIR can identify fibers of acrylic, cotton or linen, acetate, nylon 6, polyester, silk and a lot more.
