Theoretical and technical advancements of near-infrared spectroscopy and its operational impact in industry

This article provides a summary of the plenary lecture given at ICNIRS2017 at Copenhagen, Denmark. In principle, near infrared spectroscopy enjoys increasing popularity due to its possibilities for non-invasive, fast, and simultaneous analysis of chemical and physical parameters. Therefore, more frequently in laboratories, time-consuming classical methods including wet-chemical analysis, chromatography, electrophoresis, etc., get substituted by near infrared spectroscopy approaches. On the other hand, hardly any other discipline in analytical chemistry is making such fast technical and theoretical advancements. One of the major challenges is the development of portable devices based on micro-electro mechanical systems or linear variable filters. It belongs to the responsibility of the near infrared spectroscopist to critically evaluate the performance of those with benchtop instruments. For method development, design of experiment and quantum chemical calculation of spectra can give fundamental support. Finally, serious care is to be taken when methods are transferred into the industrial environment.