Raman spectroscopy for fluid inclusion analysis

Raman spectroscopy is a versatile non-destructive technique for fluid inclusion analysis, with a wide field of applications ranging from qualitative detection of solid, liquid and gaseous components to identification of polyatomic ions in solution. Raman technique is commonly used to calculate the density of CO2 fluids, the chemistry of aqueous fluids, and the molar proportions of gaseous mixtures present as inclusions. Raman spectroscopy has been applied to measure the pH range and oxidation state of fluids. The main advantages of this technique are the minimal sample preparation and the high versatility. Present review summarizes the recent developments of Raman spectroscopy in fluid inclusions research to provide support for laboratory analyses. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.