| Approved by: S. Thompson | SOP No. LBL04001 |
| Signed: | Effective from: |
| Date: | Last edited: |
The following document describes the procedure for the operation of the UNICAM Helios Beta Spectrophometer. This instrument is used to measure how much light is absorbed by a liquid sample. This instrument supports a range of visible and UV wavelengths of light.
This should be observed every time the Spectrophotometer is used within the LBL BioLab with GMO and non-GMO samples.
- It is the responsibility of lab users to use this equipment in the manner described in this SOP.
- This machine emits UV light. The operator should ensure that the cover is down and any access hatches are closed and secure.
- Parts of the machine can get hot. The user should be aware of this and take precautions.
Suitable hand and eye protection should be worn.
This machine usese Quartz or plastic cuvettes with a optical path of 12mm.
The equipment has replaceable UV and visible light bulbs. If either of the bulbs are not functional please email BSO and report the situation.
- Cuvette
- A small, transparent vessel into which a sample is placed for testing in the UV/Visible Spectrophotometer.
- The spectrophotometer should be started with good time before it's required as the initialization procedure takes ~15 mins.
- The user should ensure that the sample cuvette is clean before it is inserted into the device.
- For OD600 select a FIXED scan type
- Set the wavelength for 600nm.
- Run a sample containing a media only, this is used as a reference value.
- Run the sample that contains the sample to be tested.
- ensure the machine is switched off after use.
London Hackspace wiki - Spectrophotometer:
Unicam UV Series Software manual:
Thermo Scientific - Spectrophotometer User Guide: