The Agilent Cary 630 FTIR Spectrometer

Importance of the topic

Infectious diseases continue to pose a major global health challenge as novel pathogens emerge and existing ones evolve. Rapid, label-free analytical techniques capable of delivering both quantitative and qualitative insights into biomolecules are essential for accelerating diagnostics, treatment development, and fundamental research. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy meets these needs by analyzing key biomolecule classes—lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids—in seconds with minimal sample handling.

Study objectives and overview

This summary highlights a series of case studies demonstrating how the Agilent Cary 630 FTIR spectrometer advances infectious disease research. Key goals include:

• Rapid onsite detection of viral RNA in saliva
• Assessment of COVID-19 severity via plasma analysis
• Identification of antimicrobial resistance in bacterial strains
• Monitoring synthesis and confirming structure of novel antiviral compounds

Instrumentation used

The primary system comprises the Agilent Cary 630 FTIR spectrometer featuring:

• Compact benchtop design with interchangeable ATR sampling modules
• Agilent MicroLab software for guided, picture-driven workflows
• MicroLab Expert for advanced spectral processing and functional group matching

Main results and discussion

Major findings include:

• Ultrarapid ATR-FTIR analysis of saliva detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA signatures and, combined with machine learning, achieved high sensitivity and specificity (Barauna et al., Anal. Chem. 2021).
• ATR-FTIR spectra of ethanol-treated plasma revealed markers correlating with COVID-19 severity, enabling fast patient triage through an algorithmic model (Banerjee et al., Anal. Chem. 2021).
• Label-free FTIR spectra of E. coli strains allowed discrimination between drug-resistant and susceptible isolates in under five minutes per sample, offering a rapid alternative to genome sequencing (Wijesinghe et al., Analyst 2021).
• Synthesis and structural confirmation of novel 2-guanidinopyrimidine derivatives targeting SARS-CoV-2 proteins were achieved via ATR-FTIR monitoring, with software-assisted functional group identification (Arikrishnan et al., Eur. J. Mol. Clin. Med. 2020).

Benefits and practical applications

The Cary 630 FTIR spectrometer provides:

• No or minimal sample preparation and near-real-time results
• Quantitative and qualitative measurement of major biomolecule classes
• High reproducibility in diverse laboratory and field conditions
• User-friendly, picture-guided software workflows reducing training requirements and errors
• Modular design for rapid reconfiguration to address evolving analytical tasks

Future trends and potential applications

Emerging developments likely to enhance FTIR utility include:

• Integration of advanced machine learning and AI for automated spectral interpretation
• Portable, field-deployable FTIR systems for point-of-care diagnostics
• Coupling with microfluidic sample handling for fully automated workflows
• Integration with multi-omics platforms linking infrared data to genomics and proteomics
• Expansion of spectral libraries to encompass a wider range of pathogens and biomarkers

Conclusion

The Agilent Cary 630 FTIR spectrometer represents a versatile, high-performance solution for infectious disease research. Its ultracompact footprint, robust optomechanical design, and intuitive software enable rapid, label-free analysis of diverse biological samples. Continued advances in software and instrumentation will further solidify FTIR’s role in diagnostics, drug discovery, and global health initiatives.

References

• Barauna V.G. et al. Analytical Chemistry 2021, 93(5), 2950–2958.
• Banerjee A. et al. Analytical Chemistry 2021, 93(30), 10391–10396.
• Wijesinghe H.G.S. et al. Analyst 2021, 146, 6211–6219.
• Arikrishnan J. et al. European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine 2020, 7(3), 3930–3948.