All interested parties, particularly end users from the forensics sciences, are encouraged to join in the development of a proposed new ASTM standard, WK18814, Guide for Relative Intensity Correction of Raman Spectrometers. WK18814 is being developed by Subcommittee E13.08 on Raman Spectroscopy, which is under the jurisdiction of ASTM International Committee E13 on Molecular Spectroscopy and Separation Science.

Raman spectroscopy is an emission technique used in a variety of industries to determine the chemical composition of samples. "Each chemical compound has a unique Raman spectrum, making Raman spectroscopy a valuable tool for chemical identification," says Steven J. Choquette, leader, biospectroscopy/bioassay development group, NIST, and vice chair, E13.08. Choquette says that, while NIST develops relative intensity calibration standards for Raman spectrometers, these standards do not typically provide operational instructions for standard reference materials.

"Part of the impetus for developing guidance on the use of these standards is to not only provide customer support for a myriad of applications, such as homeland security and pharmaceutical use, but also to get valuable input from the ASTM community and subcommittees on issues that perhaps NIST could not anticipate in the use of these SRMs," says Choquette.

WK18814 is part of a suite of standard guides and practices being developed by E13.08 that Choquette says will eventually lead to a practice for acquiring and maintaining a validated, instrument-independent Raman library. In addition to work on WK18814, these efforts include the development and approval of E2529, Guide for Testing the Resolution of a Raman Spectrometer, and the eventual revision of E1840, Guide for Raman Shift Standards for Spectrometer Calibration, a new guide for CCD terminology and a proposed practice to evaluate the performance of SERS substrates.

For technical Information, contact Ian Lewis, Kaiser Optical Systems, Ann Arbor, Mich. (phone: 734-214-3624; lewis@kosi.com); or Steven J. Choquette, NIST, Gaithersburg, Md. (phone: 301-975-3096; steven.choquette@nist.gov). Committee E13 meets Nov. 18 in conjunction with the Eastern Analytical Symposium in Somerset, N.J. For meeting or membership information, contact Joe Koury, ASTM International (phone: 610-832-9804; jkoury@astm.org).

Release #8074/Oct08