How Is A Spectrophotometer Used In The Laboratory

A spectrophotometer is a device used for measuring light intensity as a function of wavelength

. While it is most commonly used to measure light absorbency these instruments can also be designed to measure diffused or specular reflectance.

While the most common spectrophotometers measure visible and UV rays they can also be designed for measuring infrared, gamma and Xrays. Most of these instruments are designed to measure light absorption but they can also be designed to measure diffused or specular reflections.

How a Spectrophotometer works

There are two basics kinds of spectrophotometers, single or double beam. A light is shined into a monchromator and then a particular wavelength is chosen. The chosen wavelength is then beamed at the sample that is being tested. The sample then absorbs some of the light from the chosen wavelength and that absorption appears as a percentage on the instruments panel.

Where They Are Used

These instruments are used in a number of scientific fields such as Physics, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, astronomy and astrophysics. They are also used in a number of industries particularly those involved with mixing colors of inks or paints.

Industrial use

Paint and ink manufacturers use these products to ensure that the color of their ink from one manufactured batch to another is identical. This is especially important when paint companies produce a wide range of shades of various colors. Because one shade may be extremely close to the next shade in the paints swatches paint manufacturers need to be able to get the exact shade of paint needed without variance. Measuring the amount of light each shade absorbs allows for the exact measuring of the pigment in the paint.

Ink manufactures use this instrument in much the same way as do paint manufacturers in order to meet the ink color guidelines. This insures consumers that they will get the exact color each and every time they buy this product.

For Scientific Study

When used for scientific study a spectrophotometer can be used to study and identify complexed molecular structures. They are also being used more and more for early detection of certain diseases such as skin cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.

This instrument has a wide range of uses in the laboratory environment because it can be used to measure the exact amount of a compound present in a solution. This means that researchers can remove much of the guess work that was once a part of laboratory studies, and these instruments can be used to control and measure exact amounts of compounds. This can be especially important where a compound may be necessary to maintain good health or to treat an illness but too much may have the opposite effective.

This instrument can also tell you what different compounds are used to make up an unfamiliar substance. It is used in almost every field of science to help identify and measure compounds and their density.

Specrophotometers are used in a number of scientific and industrial fields to attain accurate measures of light absorbency from pigments and components allowing for more accurate information to be attained and gathered.

by:Andrew Long

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