Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using a UV-Vis Spectrophotometer

What’s the role of the UV-Vis Spectrophotometer in a lab?Scientists can use the UV-Vis Spectrophotometer to measure the amount of light a sample absorbs. This instrument is indispensable for numerous experiments, but it is crucial to use it properly to obtain accurate results. There's actually errors to be made that can throw you off from a completely accurate mutation rate, so let's find out about them and hopefully steer clear of these errors.

Guaranteeing precise test results without contamination and sample loss.

It is also a typical error when working by a UV-Vis Spectrophotometer Do not prepare your samples adequately. Contamination within your samples may cause absorbance readings to be inaccurate. Remember to wash your cuvettes well before use and do not touch the interior of the cuvette with your fingers. Also, make sure your samples are fully dissolved to correctly measure them.

Preclusion of errors by an optimal wavelength selection for maximal absorption.

When using your uv light spectrophotometer and you would like to obtain the most accurate results of your samples, you are to choose the suitable wavelength. Individual compounds absorb light at different wavelengths, so it’s important to choose the right one to obtain the maximum absorbance. Refer to the literature or scan the wavelengths to find the peak absorption wavelength for your sample prior to measuring.

Calibrating the instrument on a routine basis using standard solutions to avoid false readings.

A vis uv spectrophotometer, just like any other scientific instrument, requires regular calibration to guarantee maintaing the correctness of the measurements. Calibration Check of Readout Devices - You can check the performance of the instrument using standard solutions of known absorbances. Get into the practice of performing your spectrophotometer calibration every time you use it, to save time later on and reduce the risk of making a mistake.

Preventing mistakes by setting the path length correctly and taking precise measurements.

Difference in Cuvette Path Length The path that the beam of light travels through the cuvette is another important variable that will influence the accuracy of your UV-Vis Spectrophotometer readings. Be sure to set the path length such as to get the right readings according to your instrument’s specs. Improper path length will result in incorrect absorbance values so it is always recommended to open the lid of machine and measure path length and always check path length to take correct absorbance values.

Accurate results are obtained by subtracting the blank absorbance from the sample absorbance.

Another common mistake you want to steer away from when operating a uv vis spectrophotometer is failure to subtract the blank absorbance from your sample readings as well. The blank solution is one which consists of all reagents except for the particular analyte that you are measuring and its absorbance is used as your baseline. Always subtract the absorbance of the blank from the absorbance of the sample to obtain accurate results and eliminate background interference.