Low-Resolution Mid-Infrared Reflection Analysis for Discernment of Contaminants in Seed Cotton

Contaminants often decrease cotton quality, which subsequently decrease cotton profitability. In this research, a low-resolution mid-infrared reflection instrument was designed and constructed by using only four different wavelengths to accomplish good separation of cotton samples from14 contaminants (e.g. binding material and plastic material). The four characteristic wavelengths were determined by applying Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Cluster analysis and Multivariate Curve Resolution (MCR) to the IR spectra of cotton samples and contaminants, which were obtained from attenuated total reflectance (ATR) IR spectroscopy. This instrument would potentially simplify the design and cost of seed cotton monitoring equipment at a ginning facility.