True or False: The ATR crystal mount on the IR spectrometer must be cleaned before and after running each sample.

The statement is true because cleaning the ATR (Attenuated Total Reflectance) crystal mount on the IR spectrometer is essential for obtaining accurate and reliable results in infrared spectroscopy. The ATR crystal can accumulate residues from previous samples, which can interfere with the measurements of subsequent samples.

Cleaning both before and after running each sample helps to prevent contamination and minimizes cross-sample interference. Proper maintenance of the crystal ensures that the spectra obtained reflect only the sample being analyzed, leading to higher quality data. Skipping this cleaning step may result in erroneous readings, decreased sensitivity, and compromised data integrity, which could significantly affect the analysis and interpretation of organic compounds in the laboratory setting.