ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a brief overview of the aspects essential to develop a working understanding of the application of infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy for detection and characterization in chromatographic system. The most general description of spectroscopy involves the directed generation of photons for exposure to matter that will stimulate energetic processes that can occur within molecules and/or within individual atoms. When considering the coupling of IR spectroscopy with liquid chromatography separations to take advantage of the potential benefits of obtaining simultaneous qualitative and quantitative information, it is necessary to consider the physical and spectral properties of the analytes and the mobile phase that emerge from the column. The general advantages of using flow cells are based on their ease of operation, reliability, real-time application, and the nondestructive passage of the sample through the detector so that alternative detection techniques can be utilized also apply when using IR detection.
