Libraries for spectrum identification: Method of normalized coordinates versus linear correlation

In this work it is proposed that an easy solution based directly on linear algebra in order to obtain the relation between a spectrum and a spectrum base. This solution is based on the algebraic determination of an unknown spectrum coordinates with respect to a spectral library base. The identification capacity comparison between this algebraic method and the linear correlation method has been shown using experimental spectra of polymers. Unlike the linear correlation (where the presence of impurities may decrease the discrimination capacity), this method allows to detect quantitatively the existence of a mixture of several substances in a sample and, consequently, to beer in mind impurities for improving the identification.