Energy dispersive X-ray scattering (EDXRS) has been successfully applied for the identification of liquid materials for the first time. Three liquid systems of primary alcohols, ketones compounds and acids are carefully investigation and the scattering spectra are described. Based on structural and compositional differences of compounds, the scattering profiles of all samples exhibit characteristic shapes, indicating that EDXRS profile is unique to each specific liquid material. These findings imply that EDXRS would be promisingly applied as a non-invasive inspection for liquid identification. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd.