Which device can analyze solids and liquids and identify over 13,000 chemicals, even through water?

• A. HAZMAT ID Elite
• B. RIGAKU (RAMAN spectroscopy)
• C. LCD 3.3
• D. Sensit Gas detector

Answer: (B)

Raman spectroscopy gives each chemical a unique fingerprint by measuring how molecular vibrations shift light that a sample scatters. When a laser shines on solids or liquids, most light just bounces back, but a tiny portion changes energy due to the vibrations of the molecules. That pattern of energy shifts—the spectrum—is highly specific to the chemical bonds in the substance, so you can identify what’s present by comparing the spectrum to a reference library.

This approach works across different states of matter, including liquids, and you can sample through water because water’s own Raman signal is relatively weak in the useful regions, so the spectral features of dissolved or dispersed chemicals remain detectable. Devices built around Raman spectroscopy often carry very large spectral libraries—over 13,000 chemicals—allowing broad identification without extensive prep.

So, a Raman-based system from Rigaku can analyze solids and liquids, identify thousands of chemicals, and do so even when the sample is in water, making it the best-fit choice for the scenario described.