Public Lab Research note


Oil testing kit Beta programme - Scanning OTK samples

by cindy_excites | November 04, 2015 22:39 04 Nov 22:39 | #12366 | #12366

Oil testing kit Beta programme - Sample scanning notes

Contributors: @TedF and @cindy_excites

Date: 4/Nov/2015

Here we document our experience using the Public Lab Spectrometer 3.0 (assembled using these instructions) to scan our Oil Testing Kit Beta samples, which arrived with our OTK packages.

1) Scanning Mineral oil

We begin by sampling mineral oil. First without laser attenuator:

Mineral_Oil.png

Mineral Oil similar matches (by clicking on the "Find similar" button):

Mineral_Oil_similar-matches.png

Then tested the Mineral oil with the attenuator:

Mineral_Oil_w_attenuator.png

NOTE: Unfortunately, we cannot accurately tell which gradation of attenuation we used as the attenuator slider is slid into the black cuvette frame. But perhaps this does not matter?

Then compared the two - without and with attenuator (by clicking on the "Compare" button):

Mineral_Oil_comparison-w-and-wo_attenuator.png

Mineral Oil similar matches (by clicking on the "Find similar" button):

Mineral_Oil_comparison-w-and-wo_attenuator-closest-matches.png

This exercise was most useful in familiarising myself with the different functions of Spectral Workbenck [ https://spectralworkbench.org/ ] and the different parts of the spectrometer. I also realised that the spectrometer had some technical issues, which I fixed using Lego blocks. [ HYPERLINK HERE ].

2) Scanning unknown sample # 26

We proceed to scan sample # 26 and we carry out three repetitions of the scan. For each rep I turned the cuvette around (to scan from the other side).

Note: For (nearly) all samples that follow I have created screen clippings for the capture page, the annotation pages, and the similar spectra page of each rep, as well as the compare all reps page.

IMG_4133_-_26.JPG

Scanning of sample # 26, rep a:

Scan_sample_26_-_rep_a.png

Sample # 26 similar matches for rep a (by clicking on the "Find similar" button):

Scan_sample_26_-_rep_a_closest-matches.png

Scanning of sample # 26, rep b:

Scan_sample_26_-_rep_b.png

Sample # 26 similar matches for rep b (by clicking on the "Find similar" button):

Scan_sample_26_-_rep_b_closest-matches.png

Scanning of sample # 26, rep c, capture page:

Scan_sample_26_-_rep_c_capture_page.png

Scanning of sample # 26, rep c - sample annotation:

Scan_sample_26_-_rep_c.png

Sample # 26 similar matches for rep c (by clicking on the "Find similar" button):

Scan_sample_26_-_rep_c_capture_page.png

Comparison of all 3 reps (by clicking on the "Compare" button):

Scan_sample_26_-_comparing_all_reps.png

3) Scanning unknown sample # 79

We then scan sample # 79 and we carry out three repetitions of the scan. Scanning of sample # 26, rep a:

IMG_4135_-_79.JPG

Scan_sample_79_-_rep_a.png

Sample # 79 similar matches for rep a:

Scan_sample_79_-_rep_a_closest-matches.png

Scanning of sample # 79, rep b, capture page:

Scan_sample_79_-_rep_b_capture_page.png

Scanning of sample # 79, rep b - sample annotation:

Scan_sample_79_-_rep_b.png

Sample # 79 similar matches for rep b:

Scan_sample_79_-_rep_b_closest-matches.png

Scanning of sample # 79, rep c:

Scan_sample_79_-_rep_c.png

Sample # 79 similar matches for rep c:

Scan_sample_79_-_rep_c_closest-matches.png

Comparison of all 3 reps for sample # 79:

Scan_sample_79_-_comparing_all_reps.png

4) Scanning unknown sample # 111

We continue with scanning sample # 111 and carry out three repetitions of the scan

IMG_4137_-_111.JPG

Scanning of sample # 111, rep a, capture page:

Scan_sample_111_-_rep_a_capture_page.png

Scanning of sample # 111, rep a:

Scan_sample_111_-_rep_a.png

Sample # 111 similar matches for rep a:

Scan_sample_111_-_rep_a_closest-matches.png

Sample # 111 similar matches for rep b:

Scan_sample_111_-_rep_b_closest-matches.png

Sample # 111 similar matches for rep c:

Scan_sample_111_-_rep_c_closest-matches.png

Comparison of all 3 reps for sample # 111:

Scan_sample_111_-_comparing_all_reps.png

4) Scanning unknown sample # 5w-30

Next we scan sample # 5w-30 and carry out three repetitions of the scan.

IMG_4140-_5w.JPG

Scanning of sample # 5w-30, rep a, capture page:

Scan_sample_5w-30_-_rep_a_capture_page.png

Scanning of sample # 5w-30, rep a:

Scan_sample_5w-30_-_rep_a.png

Sample # 5w-30similar matches for rep a:

Scan_sample_5w-30_-_rep_a_closest-matches.png

Scanning of sample # 5w-30, rep b:

Scan_sample_5w-30_-_rep_b.png

Sample # 5w-30similar matches for rep b:

Scan_sample_5w-30_-_rep_b_closest-matches.png

Scanning of sample # 5w-30, rep c:

Scan_sample_5w-30_-_rep_c.png

Sample # 5w-30similar matches for rep c:

Scan_sample_5w-30_-_rep_c_closest-matches.png

Comparison of all 3 reps for sample # 5w-30:

Scan_sample_5w-30_-_comparing_all_reps.png

5) Scanning unknown sample # 20w-30

Next we scan sample # 20w-30 and carry out three repetitions of the scan.

IMG_4141_-_20w.JPG

Scanning of sample # 20w-30, rep a, capture page:

Scan_sample_20w-30_-_rep_a_capture_page.png

Scanning of sample # 20w-30, rep a:

Scan_sample_20w-30_-_rep_a.png

Sample # 20w-30 similar matches for rep a:

Scan_sample_20w-30_-_rep_a_closest-matches.png

Scanning of sample # 20w-30, rep b:

Scan_sample_20w-30_-_rep_b.png

Sample # 20w-30 similar matches for rep b:

Scan_sample_20w-30_-_rep_b_closest-matches.png

Scanning of sample # 20w-30, rep c:

Scan_sample_20w-30_-_rep_c.png

Sample # 20w-30 similar matches for rep c:

Scan_sample_20w-30_-_rep_c_closest-matches.png

Comparison of all 3 reps for sample # 20w-30:

Scan_sample_20w-30_-_comparing_all_reps.png

6) Scanning unknown sample # 80w-30

Next we scan sample # 80w-30 and carry out three repetitions of the scan.

IMG_4143_-_80w.JPG

Scanning of sample # 80w-30, rep a, capture page:

Scan_sample_80w-30_-_rep_a_capture_page.png

Scanning of sample # 80w-30, rep a, annotation:

Scan_sample_80w-30_-_rep_a.png

Sample # 80w-30 similar matches for rep a:

Scan_sample_80w-30_-_rep_a_closest-matches.png

Scanning of sample # 80w-30, rep b:

Scan_sample_80w-30_-_rep_b.png

Sample # 80w-30 similar matches for rep b:

Scan_sample_80w-30_-_rep_b_closest-matches.png

Scanning of sample # 80w-30, rep c:

Scan_sample_80w-30_-_rep_c.png

Sample # 80w-30 similar matches for rep c:

Scan_sample_80w-30_-_rep_c_closest-matches.png

Comparison of all 3 reps for sample # 80w-30:

Scan_sample_80w-30_-_comparing_all_reps.png

Note: I thought I had forgotten to compare all three reps for this sample, but it was not possible to go back and select them after I had done many other readings; only recently captured spectra apprear in the compare window and the search function does not return results outside the listed recently selected spectra

7) Scanning the Diesel sample

Next we scan the Diesel sample and carry out three repetitions of the scan.

IMG_4145_-_Diesel.JPG

Scanning of the Diesel sample, rep a, capture page:

Scan_sample_Diesel_-_rep_a_capture_page.png

Scanning of the Diesel sample, rep a, annotation:

Scan_sample_Diesel_-_rep_a.png

Diesel sample similar matches for rep a:

Scan_sample_Diesel_-_rep_a_closest-matches.png

Scanning of the Diesel sample, rep b:

Scan_sample_Diesel_-_rep_b.png

Diesel sample similar matches for rep b:

Scan_sample_Diesel_-_rep_b_closest-matches.png

Scanning of the Diesel sample, rep c:

Scan_sample_Diesel_-_rep_c.png

Diesel sample similar matches for rep c:

Scan_sample_Diesel_-_rep_c_closest-matches.png

Comparison of all 3 reps for the Diesel sample:

Scan_sample_Diesel_-_comparing_all_reps.png

7) Scanning the Crude sample

Next we scan the Crude sample and carry out three repetitions of the scan.

IMG_4148_-_Crude.JPG

Scanning of the Crude sample, rep a, capture page:

Scan_sample_Crude_-_rep_a_capture_page.png

Scanning of the Crude sample, rep a, annotation:

Scan_sample_Crude_-_rep_a.png

Crude sample similar matches for rep a:

Scan_sample_Crude_-_rep_a_closest-matches.png

Scanning of the Crude sample, rep b:

Scan_sample_Crude_-_rep_b.png

Crude sample similar matches for rep b:

Scan_sample_Crude_-_rep_b_closest-matches.png

Scanning of the Crude sample, rep c:

Scan_sample_Crude_-_rep_c.png

Crude sample similar matches for rep c:

Scan_sample_Crude_-_rep_c_closest-matches.png

Comparison of all 3 reps for the Crude sample:

Scan_sample_Crude_-_comparing_all_reps.png

My favourite functions in Spectral worksbench in this exercise was the "Find similar" button. I will in the future go back and write a bit more about some of the interesting 'similar' spetra that I found. It would have been useful to have a "how to dispose of your samples" and "how to clean your cuvettes" guides. I first used acetone but it damaged my cuvettes (I lost two in the experiment). I then used dishsoap but to no effect. I then used window cleaner and that seemed to do the trick!

Related research notes:

Oil testing kit Beta programme - Package content

Oil testing kit Beta programme - Assembly: cuvette frame

Oil testing kit Beta programme - Assembly: spectrometer

Oil testing kit Beta programme - Calibration

Oil testing kit Beta programme - Technical adjustments (hack!)


5 Comments

Hi, Cindy - wow, you had spectacularly well-lit scans! Your laser must be quite powerful, or your camera especially sensitive. I wonder what accounts for this variation, as I know not everyone's been able to get such clear bright spectra.

I was also worried that your crude sample would be too dark to see the fluorescence, but it looks like it worked fine -- huh! Interesting! I was about to suggest diluting in mineral oil but i guess it's not necessary.

I was especially interested to see the "find similar" function match to @ethanbass's diesel samples. Great!

Reply to this comment...


Cindy the flat spots on your spectra are the blown out blue channel: https://publiclab.org/notes/mathew/09-23-2014/graded-oils-using-uv-fluorescence#Questions+and+next+steps

the note is in the wiki but clearly we need to be clearer about this: https://publiclab.org/wiki/oil-testing-kit#Illuminate+the+sample

Reply to this comment...


Hi @mathew! So you mean that in all the scans above where I see the intense blue channel had overexposure? As in the post https://publiclab.org/wiki/oil-testing-kit#Illuminate+the+sample ?

RGB-blownout.png

In this image for example, Scan_sample_80w-30_-_rep_a_capture_page.png

is it that the blue channel should also be at the 'ideal exposure range'?

14919.png

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I'm trying to figure out what this flat spot is, its just soo flat! I associate it with a blow out.

Digging in to the spectra themselves on your user profile, I'm not finding a blown out blue channel, its just very high.

I think you did everything right on the collection end. I want to see if this is a camera issue-- not sure. It could be the right shape.

Reply to this comment...


Hi, Cindy - can you link to your actual data on SWB?

The average should be in the "ideal exposure range" but the important part for the 3 color channels is just that they don't hit the top of the graph and 'get smushed' -- that'd mean we're losing the data from the top of that peak. The three color channels are averaged to get the "main" line. The "ideal exposure range" is really for two reasons: to prevent clipping (smushing) and to encourage people to get enough brightness that the line is not as affected by random noise, which could happen with a very dim spectrum. A spectrum with greater than 10% or so should have good enough dynamic range to use, but 25% or more is ideal.

In the second image from your last comment, for example, the blue peak is not in the ideal range, but it's also not flattening at the top, so it's OK, I believe.

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