2015 UV-Vis Spectrophotometer Survey Results
Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry is arguably the most common as well as one of the oldest forms of absorption-based analysis. UV and visible regions of the electromagnetic spectrum are contiguous: UV wavelengths range from 10 to 4000 angstroms; they are visible from 4000 to 7000 angstroms.
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Trevor Henderson, PhD
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Trevor Henderson BSc (HK), MSc, PhD (c), is the creative services director at Lab Manager. He has more than two decades of experience in the fields of scientific...
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Top 5 Questions You Should Ask When Buying a UV-VIS Spectrophotometer
- For what applications will you be using the instrument for? This will help you determine the detection range you require. Don’t forget to consider future applications that may require a broader range.
- What range of stray light performance are you comfortable with for your application and budget?
- Consider what sort of samples you’ll be working with in order to determine what absorbance range you will need in your UV-Vis spectrophotometer. For example, if it is a turbid or concentrated liquid or a solid sample that is optically thick, you may require a working absorbance range between 5 Å and 8 Å or higher.
- What level of throughput and reliability do you need?
- How much will the instrument cost? Don’t forget to factor in the cost of maintenance, etc. along with the cost of acquisition.
Types of UV-VIS spectrophotometers used by survey respondents:
| Single beam | 59% |
| Dual beam | 50% |
| Array based | 14% |
| Handheld | 6% |
| Other | 2% |
Top 10 spectrophotometer uses according to survey respondents:
| Chemical Analysis | 38% |
| Biochemistry and biology | 23% |
| Environmental | 21% |
| QA/QC | 18% |
| Biochemical | 15% |
| Proteins | 14% |
| Color / dyes | 12% |
| Drug discovery research | 8% |
| Microbiology | 7% |
| Biomarker & omics research | 5% |
Nearly 55% of respondents are engaged in purchasing a new UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The reasons for these purchases are as follows:
 | Replacement of an older spectrophotometer | 59% |  |
 | Addition to existing systems | 21% | |
 | Need an instrument that provides faster acquisition and analysis of data | 3% | |
 | Need an instrument that provides excellent reproducibility | 3% | |
 | Need an instrument that has a broad range of accessories | 3% | |
 | Need an instrument that is simple to operate and maintain | 2% | |
 | Other | 9% |
Top 10 features/factors respondents look for when purchasing a UV-VIS spectrophotometer:
| Excellent Reproducibility | 80% |
| Wavelength Accuracy | 73% |
| Ease-of-use | 71% |
| Better Sensitivity and Resolution | 65% |
| Ease of Maintenance/Low Operating Costs | 64% |
| Price | 58% |
| Warranties | 45% |
| Service/Support in General | 42% |
| Faster Acquisition and Analysis of Data | 39% |
| Safety | 39% |
For more information on UV-VIS spectrophotometers, including useful articles and a list of manufacturers, visit www.labmanager.com/spectrophotometers