In line with our objective of consolidating ourselves as one of the biotechnology R&D with the highest capacity in Chile, this month, at MELISA Institute, we have added to our laboratory an infrared spectrophotometer IRSpirit, from Shimadzu, a Japanese corporation specialized in the development of scientific technology. The equipment was acquired thanks to a grant for advanced research equipment from FISAR, within the framework of the institute's pharmacological research. The new IRSpirit adds to the service platform that our core facility provides to other researchers.
This instrument is based on the principle of the Michelson interferometer; radiation first hits a splitter or separator that splits the beam of light into two equal parts (semi-reflective mirror). These two beams of light interfere with the splitter later on its return journey when reflected off two other mirrors. One arranged in front of the original beam path (moving mirror) and the other perpendicular (fixed mirror). In this path the sample is arranged and then the infrared detector.
"This is a compact equipment that requires very little maintenance. It allows applications in areas such as pharma and industry, where we can analyze purity, formation of active complexes, quality of excipients, presence of microplastics, etc. One of the great advantages of this type of equipment is the ATR probe that allows us to carry out determinations in solid and liquid state, which makes it very versatile, as well as being a very fast and precise tool. ", comments Mauricio Hernández, MELISA Institute's Chief Laboratory Officer (CLO).
The intensity resulting from the superposition of the two beams is measured as a function of the phase shift of the moving mirror in its displacement with respect to the intermediate position. The resulting graph (Intensity vs. Phase shift), through the mathematical Fourier's transformation, is called an interferogram and is like a fingerprint that allows the identification of different compounds in solid or liquid state.
Within the framework of the acquisition of the new equipment, Dr. Elard Koch, Chairman of MELISA Institute, stressed that "IRSpirit joins our laboratory and Core Facility to support the development of health solutions for people. We trust that this new adquisition will be a solid complement to the work of our researchers, especially in the pharmacological applications that we are developing to advance a prenatal therapy for Down's Syndrome”.