From owner-biophysics@net.bio.net Thu May 07 23:00:00 1998
From: "S.I.Cameron" <scameron@fcmr.forestry.ca>
Newsgroups: bionet.biophysics
Subject: Re: cuvette question
Date: Fri, 08 May 1998 15:46:37 -0300
Organization: Canadian Forest Service - Atlantic Region
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James J. Campanella wrote:
> 
> Dear netters, I have what may be considered a silly question. We
> all know that in looking at UV absorbance in a spectrophotometer
> that we use quartz cuvettes because glass absorbs UV light and
> doesn't give you an accurate answer. But, can you use quartz
> cuvettes in looking at the white light absorbance of something
> in a spec? In other words, does a lab need both a set of glass
> AND quartz cuvettes? I have not been able to come up with a good
> reason why not. Any comments?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Jim Campanella
> Lehigh University
> Dept. of Biological Sciences
> --
> **The Past tempts us, the present confuses us, and the future
>   frightens us . . . and our lives slip away, moment by moment,
>   lost in that vast terrible in-between**
>                                   -The late Centauri Emperor

James:

You are correct. Quartz can be used down to 220 or 170 nm, depending on
the type. There is also IR transmissive quartz. Quartz is also less
reactive than glass with some chemicals. Glass is only good to about 350
nm. For visible light work exclusively, try polystyrene cuvettes - they
are cheap and disposable 
-- 

# ================================================= #
|                                                   |
|    Dr. Stewart I. Cameron                         |
|    Canadian Forest Service - Atlantic Region      |
|    e-mail:  scameron@fcmr.forestry.ca             |
|                                                   |
# ================================================= #

.