Table of Contents
Are plastic cuvettes suitable for UV spectroscopy?
If wavelengths in the UV-range, below approximately 300 nm, are employed, cuvettes made from quartz glass, or a special type of plastic, which provide sufficient transparency in this range, must be used (figure 2). In this case, single-use plastic cuvettes are recommended.
Can cuvettes used for visible spectrophotometry be made of plastic?
While cuvettes can be made of various materials, plastic cuvettes have the advantage of being less expensive and disposable and are often used in fast spectroscopic assays. Plastic cuvettes are used in the visible range for colorimetric assays and the UV range for DNA, RNA, and protein analysis.
What type of cuvette should you use when working in the UV spectrum?
quartz
Glass cuvettes are typically for use in the wavelength range of visible light, whereas fused quartz tends to be used for ultraviolet applications.
What are UV cuvettes?
Cuvettes are small rectangular glass or quartz containers. They are often designed so that the light beam travels a distance of 1 cm through the contents, but the path length can vary from 1 or 2 mm all the way up to 10 cm. The sample cell contains a solution of the substance you are testing, usually very dilute.
Why is plastic cuvette not suitable for UV?
Generally plastic cuvettes strongly absorb UV, which is why they cannot be used in spectroscopy in the UV range. Readings with UV light are generally done with quartz cuvettes, which show little UV absorbance. They are expensive, however, and certainly not disposable.
Why is it necessary to wipe the cuvettes?
Proper cuvette cleaning is very important. The residue from previous experiments can result in poor performance, inaccurate measurements and will waste your time and your sample. Proper cleaning of your cuvettes will increase their useful life and provide more consistent results.
How do you clean UV cuvettes?
Cuvettes can safely be soaked in diluted acids for an hour maximum. Actually, diluted sulfuric acid and diluted hydrochloric acid (2M) are great ways to remove stains and residue. Cleaning detergents are completely safe for soaking. These types of cleaners will not damage the quartz or fritted cuvettes.
Why does quartz not absorb UV light?
Ultraviolet light has shorter wavelength than visible light, although ultraviolet waves are invisible to human eyes. If we use glass in place of quartz then glass will absorb ultraviolet rays while quartz does not. Ultraviolet radiant has a low power of penetration, hence it directly affects the human body as well.
Can you reuse plastic cuvettes?
Quartz cuvettes should be used for measurements in the UV range. It is not recommended to wash and reuse plastic disposable cuvettes.
How will you calibrate UV?
How to calibrate a spectrophotometer – UV and VIS Photometric Accuracy Step-by-step
- Warm up the spectrophotometer for 45 minutes.
- Select the wavelength to calibrate.
- Depending on what type of filter you are using will determine if you need a dedicated blank for the machine.
Which is the best Cuvette for UV-Vis measurements?
IR Quartz is an amazing choice for cuvettes for UV-vis range measurements. The transmission range is 220-3,500nm so you get some of the UV, but you get a nice range in the IR as well. The transmission rate of IR Quartz is approx. 88% at 2730nm of an empty cell.
When to use disposable or plastic cuvettes?
Disposable cuvettes are preferred to prevent carry over of samples. Quartz cuvettes are specifically used for measuring absorbance in the UV range and plastic cuvettes for the visible light path range. Description: VWR Signature™ Disposable Electroporation Cuvettes are designed for use with bacterial, yeast, fungi, and mammalian cells.
What kind of Cuvette is used for spectrophotometer measurement?
This measurement is done with a spectrophotometer. Cuvettes are made from glass, plastic, or optical-grade quartz. Plastic cuvettes have the advantage of being less expensive and disposable and are often used in fast spectroscopic assays.
How big is a 10 ml plastic cuvette?
Semi-micro cuvettes Vis 300 nm-900 nm, plastic cuvette for measurements in the visible range, max. Filling capacity 3.0 mL, 10 × 100.