BioRad

BioRad 

Reviewed by Rita Andreoli
3M Company, US

SOFTWARE-7-BioRad-200

There are few software searches for infrared (IR) spectra libraries that meet the standard of Sadtler Libraries - published since 1955 and ongoing today with over 225 000 reference spectra. Throughout my career, I have used the hard copies of their IR libraries and wanted access to their electronic version since its inception in 1980. 

Today, I am a very satisfied customer of Bio-Rad’s KnowItAll licensed software and their Sadtler IR libraries. The attraction of using these libraries is for five reasons: ease of use, size of the databases, confidence of quality information, sample purity without Nujol interference, and application-specific databases or grouped classifications. 

Whether you are a newcomer or an experienced user of IR libraries, the classification is key to optimising and narrowing IR library searches of a sample within the product line of interest. For example, if you have a spectrum from a limited sample that is not absolutely perfect and search for a match in a database pool of 225 000 spectra, it’s very likely that without the ability to separate by classification within the library search, your hits will be insufficient and unsuccessful.or to put in chemistry terms, your hits will be too ’diluted’. 

However, narrowing the search by opting for specific group classifications provides you with more likelihood of finding the right spectrum match for your sample faster. There are many other bells and whistles this software offers that make it even more appealing for spectral searching and confirmation, such as data enhancement features for mixture searches, specified peak searches, personalised database building option, manufacturer names, and physical and chemical information. 

For more information email informatics.europe@bio-rad.com or visit the website.