Well-resolved Raman spectra of organic acids were obtained with 785 nm excitation using a portable Raman instrument (Ahura First Defender XL) under low temperature -5 degrees C atmospheric conditions at an altitude of 2000 m (Axamer Lizum, Innental, Austria). The portable Raman spectrometer tested in this setting permits fast and unambiguous detection of solid forms of these organic acids (formic, acetic, valeric, hexanoic, heptanoic, isophthalic, ascorbic and mellitic) under field conditions.
This demonstrates the possibility to use a miniaturized Raman spectrometer as a key instrument for investigating the presence of organic compounds and biomolecules under low temperature conditions.