FT-IR SPECTROSCOPY AND MICROSCOPY WITH A DIAMOND CELL APPLIED TO FORENSIC AND INDUSTRIAL-SAMPLES

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, using the diamond cell techni que, has been shown to be a useful tool for the analysis of small samp les. The diamond cell can be used both in an infrared microscope and i n a microbeam compartment. In our laboratory both techniques have been applied to forensic and industrial analysis and some examples are rep orted. Sample preparation normally consists of physical separation wit h the help of tungsten needles, microtoming techniques after embedding the samples in paraffin blocks, or the use of solvents to extract som e compounds before evaporation on different kinds of plate. The diamon d cell technique seems to provide good results for all samples analyse d.