UV-Vis spectrophotometers are indispensable for measuring analyte concentrations—in scientific research, academic teaching, and QA/QC laboratories. UV-Vis spectrometers come in four basic models: low-cost single- beam, dual-beam, array-based, and handheld. Single-beam techniques must apply a correction for the loss of light intensity as the beam passes through the solvent. Dual-beam spectrometers use a second solvent reference cell and perform the correction automatically. Single- and dual-beam benchtop instruments use a broad spectrum lamp as the light source, and most use a photomultiplier tube as the detector. Future improvements in UV-Vis spectrophotometers will focus on ease of use, portability, and application-specific instruments. UV-Vis analysis of solid samples and materials continues to grow in areas such as solar cell research, semiconductor products, and coating materials. Advances in light sources will provide new developments in conventional spectrophotometers and handheld UV-Vis instruments. Further development in remote sensors will enable more types of samples to be measured outside the laboratory. UV-Vis instruments have become smaller as a result of microelectronics miniaturization, but were always limited by the instrument’s components and pathways used for delivering radiation and measuring absorbance or transmittance.
The types of UV-Vis spectrophotometers our readers are using in their research.
| Single Beam | 43% |
| Dual Beam | 43% |
| Array-based | 11% |
| Handheld | 3% |
How often our readers use their UV-Vis spectrophotometers in their labs:
| Several times daily | 32% |
| Once a day | 6% |
| Several times each week | 37% |
| Once a week | 8% |
| Two to three times a month | 8% |
| Once a month | 3% |
| Less than once a month | 5% |
We asked our readers how often they use performance verification tests for wavelength accuracy, stray light, resolution and photometric accuracy. Here’s how they responded:
| Annually | 31% |
| Every six months | 11% |
| Quarterly | 13% |
| Monthly | 12% |
| After every use | 3% |
| We don't do performance verification tests | 24% |
| Not applicable | 2% |
| Don't know | 4% |
The top 10 factors/features our readers look for when buying a UV-Vis spectrophotometer:
| Important | Not Important | Don't Know | |
| Ease of Maintenance/low operating costs | 90% | 3% | 7% |
| Excellent reproducibility | 90% | 6% | 4% |
| Ease of use | 86% | 9% | 5% |
| Wavelength accuracy | 84% | 12% | 4% |
| Better sensitivity and resolution | 85% | 12% | 4% |
| Price | 85% | 12% | 4% |
| Warranties | 85% | 15% | 0% |
| Faster acquisition and analysis of data | 65% | 32% | 3% |
| Service/support in general | 64% | 29% | 7% |
| Safety | 60% | 32% | 8% |
For more information on UV-Vis spectrophotometers, visit http://www.labmanager.com/spectrophotometers
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