BIOGRAPHY

Dr Jean Robertson has been Head of the IR sectionat The James Hutton Institute (Aberdeen, Scotland) for over 15 years, working with both Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. She is a trained chemist, whose expertise in FTIR spectroscopy was first developed during her PhD, awarded in 1990, in which the technique was used to study structures of organometallic compounds. Through her work at the Institute, this expertise is applied in IR spectroscopy to a wide range of naturally occurring samples. Dr Robertson developed the specialist knowledge necessary for interpreting the complex FTIR spectra of soils, sediments, minerals, fungal species, and vegetation. In addition, she has been responsible for the creation of high quality FTIR (MIR-ATR) and NIR national spectral datasets from the samples generated for the National Soil Inventory of Scotland. Much of her research relates to analysis of relationships between this spectral data and the other data held for the soils, with a particular interest in soil organic carbon and peat. She is also responsible for providing commercial FTIR analysis for a wide range of industrial clients. Email Jean Robertson - James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, Scotland (UK). 

SUMMARY

The infrared region of the spectrum is widely used for soil sensing and monitoring. To date, the near infrared (NIR) region has been far more extensively used than the mid infrared (MIR) region. However, MIR spectra can provide more information, particularly in relation to mineralogy, than NIR spectra hence, MIR spectra may give more complete chemical profiles or “fingerprints” of soil, which are more readily interpreted.  An MIR spectrum is generated by plotting absorption against frequency, which to the untrained eye can appear meaningless. Though much of the information concealed in these absorption bands can ultimately be extracted via chemometrics and statistical modelling, the ability to interpret the MIR spectra is fundamental to obtain preliminary information that will help us understand the nature of the soil sample(s).  MIR spectra can be invaluable in providing rapid insight into, and a means of visualising, the differences between soils. This presentation will give an overview of, and guidance through, the fundamental steps required for an accurate assessment of soil MIR spectra. 

Presentation | Video recordings