Laser induced photoacoustic spectroscopy in liquid samples: temperature and solvent effects

Summary

Laser induced photoacoustic spectroscopy (LIPAS) has been confirmed as an analytical tool, suitable for the determination of inorganic and organic species in aqueous and organic solvents, reaching detection limits two orders of magnitude lower than those obtained with conventional spectrophotometry.

A significant influence of the solvent on the enhancement of the magnitude of the LIPAS response waveform of the piezoelectric detector has been found experimentally for inorganic species (neodymium ions) and organic compounds (e.g. β-carotene and the cytochrome c), when water was replaced by organic solvents. This is particularly true, when a laser excitation wavelength above 500 nm was used, where the absorption coefficient for H₂O increases drastically.

Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the magnitude of the LIPAS signal has been measured, in the range between 20–70°C in samples containing Nd³⁺,β-carotene and the macromolecule cytochrome c in various aqueous and organic (polar and non-polar) solvents (H₂O, HClO₄, acetone, ethanol and petrol ether). A very strong enhancement of the LIPAS response was observed with increasing temperature (a factor of two in an interval between 20 and 40°C) for all inorganic and organic substances in aqueous solution. On the other hand, in polar and non-polar organic solvents only a slight decline of the signals of about 20% was found over the same temperature range.