Supporting Local Industry through Applied Spectroscopy
As part of our ongoing community outreach efforts, the Gru Lab proudly partners with DelMonaco Winery in Baxter, Tennessee, to improve the scientific foundations of local wine production. This collaboration exemplifies our commitment to using chemistry for public good, sharing our spectroscopy expertise to support local industry and enhance STEM literacy beyond academia.
Our team, led by MS student Randi, has successfully developed robust Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy methods to precisely measure alcohol and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) content in wine. These two parameters are critical for quality control, regulatory compliance, and consumer safety. The winery is now actively implementing these methods in their production workflow.
Building on this progress, we are currently working on developing new spectroscopy-based techniques to identify and quantify individual organic acid components in wine, going beyond traditional titration-based measurements of total acidity. These efforts aim to provide more detailed insight into flavor profiles, fermentation dynamics, and product consistency.
This collaboration is about more than instrumentation. It is about capacity building. Our chemistry students train DelMonaco’s staff on how to operate the FTIR spectrometer, interpret spectral data, and perform routine calibration and testing procedures. We also assist the winery in evaluating and selecting appropriate scientific equipment as they expand and modernize their quality control lab.
Though this project lies outside our usual focus on gas-phase spectroscopy and fundamental chemistry, it reflects our broader mission: to make chemistry accessible and impactful. By mentoring students in real-world applications and helping a local business enhance its operations, we are truly giving back to the community through science.
6/6/25
