Utilizing Various Forms of Spectroscopy in Search of Unique Characteristics in Brands of Nail Polish

Abstract

Three different brands of red and blue nail polish were examined to determine if there was a way to identify each nail polish by using various forms of spectroscopy; Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), UV/Vis and fluorometry. UV/Vis and fluorometry were found to be best suited for quantitative analysis and do not assist in identifying differences in nail polish. ATR-FTIR has potential, but time and resources are needed to separate the various compounds that make up nail polish to get a more exact measurement of how much of each component are in the various nail polishes.