Spectroscopic Studies of Human Hair, Nail, and Saliva Samples Using a Cantilever-Based Photoacoustic Detection

: Jaakko Lehtinen

Publisher: SPRINGER/PLENUM PUBLISHERS

: NEW YORK; 233 SPRING ST, NEW YORK, NY 10013 USA

: 2013

: International Journal of Thermophysics

: Int.J.Thermophys.

: 8-9

: 34

: 8-9

: 1559

: 1568

: 10

: 0195-928X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-013-1488-x

In infrared spectroscopy human hair has normally been studied using attenuated total reflectance or diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, for which the sample preparation methods can lead to problems of reproducibility. Definite information could be obtained by studying intact individual hair fibers, but the small diameter of hair fibers and the lack of sensitivity make such measurement difficult. A highly detailed infrared spectrum of human hair has been measured using a cantilever-based photoacoustic detection. The spectrum can be obtained even if a piece of hair as small as 1 cm is used as a sample. Photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) is a well-established technique in many areas, but very little has been published in the research of proteins. Two simple applications of PAS for human hair, as well as measurements with different types of proteins, are presented in this paper.