skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Applications of Micro-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) in the Geological Sciences—A Review

Journal Article · · International Journal of Molecular Sciences (Online)
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. PetroChina Research Inst. of Petroleum Exploration and Development, Beijing (China)
  2. Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN (United States)

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) can provide crucial information on the molecular structure of organic and inorganic components and has been used extensively for chemical characterization of geological samples in the past few decades. In this paper, recent applications of FTIR in the geological sciences are reviewed. Particularly, its use in the characterization of geochemistry and thermal maturation of organic matter in coal and shale is addressed. These investigations demonstrate that the employment of high-resolution micro-FTIR imaging enables visualization and mapping of the distributions of organic matter and minerals on a micrometer scale in geological samples, and promotes an advanced understanding of heterogeneity of organic rich coal and shale. Additionally, micro-FTIR is particularly suitable for in situ, non-destructive characterization of minute microfossils, small fluid and melt inclusions within crystals, and volatiles in glasses and minerals. This technique can also assist in the chemotaxonomic classification of macrofossils such as plant fossils. These features, barely accessible with other analytical techniques, may provide fundamental information on paleoclimate, depositional environment, and the evolution of geological (e.g., volcanic and magmatic) systems.

Research Organization:
Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0006978
OSTI ID:
1240598
Journal Information:
International Journal of Molecular Sciences (Online), Vol. 16, Issue 12; ISSN 1422-0067
Publisher:
MDPICopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 193 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (124)

FTIR Study of Pure Vitrains and Associated Coals journal May 1995
FTIR absorption indices for thermal maturity in comparison with vitrinite reflectance R0 in type-II kerogens from Devonian black shales journal November 2005
Near-infrared spectroscopic determination of water species in glasses of the system MAlSi3O8 (M = Li, Na, K) : an interlaboratory study journal June 1996
Analytical Methods for Measuring Water in Nominally Anhydrous Minerals journal January 2006
Advances in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of natural glasses: From sample preparation to data analysis journal October 2014
Chemometric study of functional groups in different layers of Trigonocarpus grandis ovules (Pennsylvanian seed fern, Canada) journal October 2011
FTIR Spectroscopic Study of Biogenic Mn-Oxide Formation by Pseudomonas putida GB-1 journal July 2005
Hydrous species geospeedometer in rhyolite: improved calibration and application journal October 2000
Water solubility in trachytic melts journal December 2004
Compositional dependence of molar absorptivities of near-infrared OH- and H2O bands in rhyolitic to basaltic glasses journal April 2001
Infrared spectroscopic measurements of CO2 and H2O in Juan de Fuca Ridge basaltic glasses journal September 1988
The speciation of water in silicate melts journal December 1982
Water in silicate glasses: An infrared spectroscopic study journal January 1982
FTIR study of the evolution of coal structure during the coalification process journal June 1996
Application of attenuated total reflectance micro-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy to the study of coal macerals: Examples from the Bowen Basin, Australia journal April 2007
Chemical functionalities of high and low sulfur Australian coals: A case study using micro attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared (ATR–FTIR) spectrometry journal June 2010
ATR-FTIR spectroscopic study of the adsorption of desferrioxamine B and aerobactin to the surface of lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) journal August 2009
Sorption of the antibiotic ofloxacin to mesoporous and nonporous alumina and silica journal March 2005
Application of diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) for the identification of potential diagenesis and crystallinity changes in teeth journal February 2004
An FTIR study of australian coals: Characterization of oxygen functional groups journal September 1988
Characterization of chemical functional groups in macerals across different coal ranks via micro-FTIR spectroscopy journal December 2012
On the Theory of Dispersion of X-Rays journal January 1926
Studying individual macerals using i.r. microspectrometry, and implications on oil versus gas/condensate proneness and “low-rank” generation journal August 1993
Electron microprobe and micro-FTIR analyses applied to maceral chemistry journal December 1993
Variation in maceral chemistry within and between coals of varying rank: An electron microprobe and micro-Fourier transform infra-red investigation journal August 1993
Application of reflectance micro-Fourier transform infrared analysis to the study of coal macerals: an example from the late jurassic to early cretaceous coals of the Mist Mountain Formation, British Columbia, Canada journal December 1996
Fourier transform infrared micro spectroscopy mapping. Applications to the vinyl siding industry journal September 1997
Mapping the chemistry of resinite, funginite and associated vitrinite in coal with micro-FTIR: MAPPING THE CHEMISTRY OF RESINITE, FUNGINITE AND ASSOCIATED VITRINITE journal November 2012
3D spectral imaging with synchrotron Fourier transform infrared spectro-microtomography journal August 2013
Heterogeneity of shale documented by micro-FTIR and image analysis: HETEROGENEITY OF SHALE journal August 2014
Microanalysis of barkinite from Chinese coals of high volatile bituminous rank journal March 2015
Rapid water exsolution, degassing, and bubble collapse observed experimentally in K-phonolite melts journal June 2008
A micro-reflectance IR spectroscopy method for analyzing volatile species in basaltic, andesitic, phonolitic, and rhyolitic glasses journal July 2013
A new technique using FT-IR micro-reflectance spectroscopy for measurement of water concentrations in melt inclusions journal May 2014
Application of micro-FTIR imaging in the Earth sciences journal May 2010
On the fundamental difference between coal rank and coal type journal October 2013
Resolution enhancement of diffuse reflectance i.r. spectra of coals by Fourier self-deconvolution journal February 1985
FT-i.r. analysis of coal journal July 1988
Chemical structure of semifusinite and fusinite of steam and coking coal from the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (Poland) and its changes during heating as inferred from micro-FTIR analysis journal October 2010
Separation and Artificial Maturation of Macerals from Type II Kerogen journal May 1997
Chemical basis of fluorescence alteration of crude oils and kerogens—II. Fluorescence and infrared micro-spectrometric analysis of vitrinite and liptinite journal May 1992
Application of reflectance micro-infrared spectroscopy in coal structure studies journal January 2003
The investigation of chemical structure of coal macerals via transmitted-light FT-IR microspectroscopy journal November 2005
A geochemical study of macerals from a Miocene lignite and an Eocene bituminous coal, Indonesia journal May 1996
Influence of alginite on the reflectance of vitrinite from Joadja, NSW, and some other coals and oil shales containing alginite journal October 1980
Influence of Resinite on Huminite Properties journal November 1994
Organic–inorganic interactions in petroleum-producing sedimentary basins journal November 2003
Chemical evolution of Miocene wood: Example from the Belchatow brown coal deposit, central Poland journal March 2006
Upgrading and dewatering of raw tropical peat by hydrothermal treatment journal March 2010
Dike intrusions into bituminous coal, Illinois Basin: H, C, N, O isotopic responses to rapid and brief heating journal October 2009
Comparison of the HF-HCl and HF-BF3 maceration techniques and the chemistry of resultant organic concentrates journal February 1993
D/H isotope ratios of kerogen, bitumen, oil, and water in hydrous pyrolysis of source rocks containing kerogen types I, II, IIS, and III journal November 1999
An in situ FTIR step-scan photoacoustic investigation of kerogen and minerals in oil shale journal April 2012
Quantitative analysis of shales by KBr-FTIR and micro-FTIR journal January 2014
Unconventional shale-gas systems: The Mississippian Barnett Shale of north-central Texas as one model for thermogenic shale-gas assessment journal April 2007
Morphology, Genesis, and Distribution of Nanometer-Scale Pores in Siliceous Mudstones of the Mississippian Barnett Shale journal November 2009
Reflected light microscopy and micro-FTIR of Upper Ordovician Gloeocapsomorpha prisca alginite in relation to paleoenvironment and petroleum generation, Saskatchewan, Canada journal August 1993
The importance of shale composition and pore structure upon gas storage potential of shale gas reservoirs journal June 2009
Porosity of Coal and Shale: Insights from Gas Adsorption and SANS/USANS Techniques journal July 2012
On the Application of Quantitative Methods to the Study of the Structure and History of Rocks journal January 1908
Fourier Transform Infrared study of mineral matter in coal. A novel method for quantitative mineralogical analysis journal June 1978
Use of Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy for determining oil shale properties journal December 1980
Multicomponent analysis of FTIR spectra; quantification of amorphous and crystallized mineral phases in synthetic and natural sediments journal May 1998
Least-Squares Curve-Fitting of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectra with Applications to Polymer Systems journal November 1977
Multicomponent Analysis of FT-IR Spectra journal July 1991
Bulk mineralogical characterisation of oilfield reservoir rocks and sandstones using Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy and Partial Least Squares analysis journal January 2008
Multivariate analysis of ATR-FTIR spectra for assessment of oil shale organic geochemical properties journal October 2013
The dynamics of bubble formation and growth in magmas: A review and analysis journal March 1978
Water in Nominally Anhydrous Crustal Minerals: Speciation, Concentration, and Geologic Significance journal January 2006
Distribution of dissolved water in magmatic glass records growth and resorption of bubbles journal September 2014
Determination of chemical water in rock analysis by Karl Fischer titration journal January 1976
Timescales of texture development in a cooling lava dome journal August 2013
Experiments and models on H2O retrograde solubility in volcanic systems journal April 2015
Quantification of dissolved H2O in silicate glasses using confocal microRaman spectroscopy journal May 2006
Quantification of water content and speciation in natural silicic glasses (phonolite, dacite, rhyolite) by confocal microRaman spectrometry journal June 2006
Magma ascent rates in explosive eruptions: Constraints from H2O diffusion in melt inclusions journal June 2008
Element variations in rhyolitic magma resulting from gas transport journal November 2013
Synchrotron FTIR microscopy of synthetic and natural CO 2 –H 2 O fluid inclusions journal November 2014
Analysis of H2O in silicate glass using attenuated total reflectance (ATR) micro-FTIR spectroscopy journal October 2013
Determination of the molar absorptivity of dissolved carbonate in basanitic glass journal December 1995
A CO2-rich magma source beneath the Phlegraean Volcanic District (Southern Italy): Evidence from a melt inclusion study journal August 2011
Densities of Na2O-K2O-CaO-MgO-FeO-Fe2O3-Al2O3-TiO2-SiO2 liquids: New measurements and derived partial molar properties journal November 1987
The Density of Hydrous Magmatic Liquids journal February 1999
The solubility of H2O and CO2 in rhyolitic melts in equilibrium with a mixed CO2–H2O fluid phase journal April 2001
Spectroscopic FTIR imaging of water species in silicic volcanic glasses and melt inclusions: An example from the Izu-Bonin arc journal September 2006
Using micro-FTIR spectroscopy to measure volatile contents in small and unexposed inclusions hosted in olivine crystals journal August 2007
Vesiculation rates of obsidian domes inferred from H 2 O concentration profiles journal January 2005
Rapid ascent of rhyolitic magma at Chaitén volcano, Chile journal October 2009
Bubble geobarometry: A record of pressure changes, degassing, and regassing at Mono Craters, California journal August 2012
SR-FTIR Microscopy and FTIR Imaging in the Earth Sciences journal January 2014
A review of water contents of nominally anhydrous natural minerals in the mantles of Earth, Mars and the Moon journal November 2010
Single-crystal FTIR and X-ray study of vishnevite, ideally [Na6(SO4)][Na2(H2O)2](Si6Al6O24) journal May 2007
The quantitative analysis of OH in vesuvianite: a polarized FTIR and SIMS study journal March 2005
Experimental and petrological studies of melt inclusions in phenocrysts from mantle-derived magmas: an overview of techniques, advantages and complications journal March 2002
Laser Raman spectroscopic measurements of water in unexposed glass inclusions journal February 2006
Synchrotron FTIR microanalysis of volatiles in melt inclusions and exsolved particles in ultramafic deep-seated garnets journal November 2005
Spectroscopic analysis (FTIR, Raman) of water in mafic and intermediate glasses and glass inclusions journal October 2010
Semi-quantitative FT-IR microanalysis limits: Evidence from synthetic hydrocarbon fluid inclusions in sylvite journal March 1990
FT-IR microanalysis of hydrocarbon fluid inclusions journal July 1990
Application of Micro-FT-IR Spectroscopy to Individual Hydrocarbon Fluid Inclusion Analysis journal August 1987
Evidence for a palaeo-oil column and alteration of residual oil in a gas-condensate field: Integrated oil inclusion and experimental results journal October 2014
Water in rhyolitic magmas: getting a grip on a slippery problem journal January 2001
Quantification of H 2 O Speciation in Silicate Glasses and Melts by IR Spectroscopy - in situ versus Quench Techniques journal January 2003
Dehydration of natural stilbite: An in situ FTIR study journal October 2005
Behavior of H2O molecules in the channels of natrolite and scolecite: A Raman and IR spectroscopic investigation of hydrous microporous silicates journal July 2006
In situ FTIR study on the dehydration of natural goethite journal September 2006
Dehydration and rehydration of mesolite: An in situ FTIR study journal March 2007
Integral molar absorptivities of OH in muscovite at 20 to 650  C by in-situ high-temperature IR microspectroscopy journal June 2010
Molecular characterization of fossil palynomorphs by transmission micro-FTIR spectroscopy: Implications for hydrocarbon source evaluation journal August 2013
Highly aromatic character of biogeomacromolecules in Chitinozoa: A spectroscopic and pyrolytic study journal October 2007
Macromolecular composition of Palaeozoic scolecodonts: insights into the molecular taphonomy of zoomorphs journal October 2009
Micro-FTIR spectroscopic signatures of Bacterial lipids in Proterozoic microfossils journal September 2009
Hydrocarbon Distribution of Algae and Bacteria, and Microbiological Activity in Sediments journal October 1969
A review on microbial synthesis of hydrocarbons journal May 2006
FTIR microspectroscopy of Ediacaran phosphatized microfossils from the Doushantuo Formation, Weng'an, South China journal April 2014
Functional groups and elemental analyses of cuticular morphotypes of Cordaites principalis (Germar) Geinitz, Carboniferous Maritimes Basin, Canada journal November 2000
Compression–cuticle relationship of seed ferns: Insights from liquid–solid states FTIR (Late Palaeozoic–Early Mesozoic, Canada–Spain–Argentina) journal August 2009
Chemometric study of functional groups in Pennsylvanian gymnosperm plant organs (Sydney Coalfield, Canada): Implications for chemotaxonomy and assessment of kerogen formation journal December 2010
Compression map, functional groups and fossilization: A chemometric approach (Pennsylvanian neuropteroid foliage, Canada) journal February 2012
Application of reflectance micro-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry in studying coal macerals: comparison with other Fourier transform infrared techniques journal January 1995
Application of reflectance micro-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry in studying coal macerals: comparison with other Fourier transform infrared techniques journal April 1995
Chemical characterization of torbanites by transmission micro-FTIR spectroscopy: Origin and extent of compositional heterogeneities journal June 1993
Micro-FTIR spectroscopy of liptinite macerals in coal journal June 1998
Magmatic overpressures, volatile exsolution and potential explosivity of fissure eruptions inferred via dike aspect ratios journal June 2020

Cited By (17)

Moisture adsorption in TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanocrystal film at the nanogram level based on micro-FTIR spectroscopy journal June 2019
Enhanced characterisation for the management of industrial steel processing by products: potential of sequential chemical extraction journal February 2019
A comprehensive study of thermotechnical and thermogravimetric properties of peat for power generation journal July 2019
Combining laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy for the analysis of coal properties journal January 2019
New Excavations at Border Cave, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa journal August 2018
Structural and pyrolysis behaviors analysis of coal pretreated with a weak acid journal June 2019
Comprehensive investigation on the synergistic antibacterial activities of Jatropha curcas pressed cake and seed oil in combination with antibiotics journal May 2019
Assessment of Thermal Maturity Trends in Devonian–Mississippian Source Rocks Using Raman Spectroscopy: Limitations of Peak-Fitting Method journal September 2017
Effect of Irrigants on the Push-Out Bond Strength of Two Bioceramic Root Repair Materials journal June 2019
Some Applications of Vibrational Spectroscopy for the Analysis of Polymers and Polymer Composites journal July 2019
Restoring the Reactivity of Organic Acid Solution Used for Silver Recovery from Solar Cells by Fractional Distillation journal July 2019
Characterization of the Biological Fingerprint and Identification of Associated Parameters in Stress Fractures by FTIR Spectroscopy journal September 2019
Retention of Hydraulic Fracturing Water in Shale: The Influence of Anionic Surfactant journal November 2018
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) application chemical characterization of enamel, dentin and bone journal February 2018
Advanced analytical techniques for studying the morphology and chemistry of Proterozoic microfossils journal September 2016
Enhancing sensitivity in absorption spectroscopy using a scattering cavity journal July 2021
Evaluating Molecular Evolution of Kerogen by Raman Spectroscopy: Correlation with Optical Microscopy and Rock-Eval Pyrolysis journal May 2018

Similar Records

Digitizing rocks standardizing the geological description process using workstations
Conference · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) · OSTI ID:1240598

Micron-scale distribution controls metal(loid) release during simulated weathering of a Pennsylvanian coal shale
Journal Article · Sat Nov 02 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta · OSTI ID:1240598

Applications of synchrotron-based micro-imaging techniques for the analysis of Cultural Heritage materials
Journal Article · Thu Jan 29 00:00:00 EST 2009 · AIP Conference Proceedings · OSTI ID:1240598