UV-VIS spectrophotometer and its functions
A UV-Vis Spectrophotometer (Ultraviolet-Visible Spectrophotometer) is an analytical instrument that measures the amount of ultraviolet (UV) and visible light absorbed by a sample. It operates in the ultraviolet and visible regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Here’s how it works:
- Wavelength and Frequency: Electromagnetic radiation, which includes UV and visible light, can be classified in terms of either wavelength or frequency. In UV-Vis spectroscopy, the wavelength is usually expressed in nanometers.
- UV-Visible Spectra: When radiation interacts with matter, several processes can occur, including reflection, scattering, absorbance, fluorescence/phosphorescence (absorption and re-emission), and photochemical reactions. Typically, absorbance is measured when measuring samples to determine their UV-visible spectrum.
This technique is widely used in chemistry, biochemistry, and other fields, to identify and quantify compounds in various samples. It’s a cost-effective, simple, versatile, non-destructive, analytical technique suitable for a large spectrum of organic compounds and some inorganic species.
Applications of UV-Vis Spectrophotometry include:
Analytical Chemistry: Quantitative determination of diverse analytes such as transition metal ions, highly conjugated organic compounds, and biological macromolecules.
Biochemistry: Monitoring structural changes in DNA
Industrial Applications: Used in water analysis, food safety, and quality management.
Overall, UV-Vis Spectrophotometry is a powerful tool that allows scientists to investigate the properties of molecules and detect the presence of certain compounds with high sensitivity and specificity.
The function of a UV-Vis Spectrophotometer is to measure the amount of ultraviolet (UV) and visible light absorbed by a sample. This is achieved by comparing light intensity before it passes through a sample solution and after.
In summary, a UV-Vis Spectrophotometer provides valuable information about the properties of materials and their interactions with light.
