A portable spectrophotometer is a handy tool for measuring the intensity of light. It is simple and easy to use due to its unique design. Also, it is very simple to carry.
A portable spectrophotometer helps the researchers to test the samples on-site without bringing them to the lab. In its combination, it contains a display screen, sample holder, detector and light source. By light source, different wavelengths of light are emitted. The detector in this instrument measures the intensity of light emitted and hence the results are shown on the Display screen.
Moreover, it is also termed a handheld spectrophotometer due to its handy size. It can be easily adjusted in the hands while performing a test.
Due to the easy holding of this instrument in the hands, it is also termed a handheld spectrophotometer.
What is the use of a spectrophotometer?
A portable spectrophotometer is used in different industries for performing tests. It is used in environmental science and agriculture purposes. Also, it has its uses in the textile and food industries. It has wide applications because it can test the samples on sites without bringing them to the specified laboratory.
Food Industry; It is used in the food industry for determining the colour deficiency, transparency and some other factors of food.
Agriculture: It has wide applications in the field of agriculture. It is used for analyzing the nutrient levels in soil. Also, it helps determine the crop health and soil composition.
Textile: It is used to measure the formulation of dues and consistency of colour on fabrics in the textile industry. Also, it determines the quality of fabrics.
Hence, it is a handy tool for measuring the light intensity of products. It is termed a portable spectrophotometer due to its convenience and portability of use. It can be used for fieldwork, remote places and places where samples cannot be brought to the lab.
How many types of spectrophotometers are there?
A spectrophotometer is used for measuring light intensity. It has several types according to different industries.
Following are some most commonly used types of a spectrophotometer.
- Visible Spectrophotometer
- Single beam Spectrophotometer
- Fluorescence Spectrophotometer
- Infrared Spectrophotometer
- UV Spectrophotometer
- Double beam Spectrophotometer
- Electron Spectrophotometer
What are the units of a spectrophotometer?
The units of a spectrophotometer can be termed as optical density or absorbance. These units measure the amount of light absorbed by the sample.
What is the name of a spectrophotometer principle?
The principle on which a spectrophotometer works is termed as Beer-Lambert law. This law stated:
The amount of light absorbed is directly proportional to the concentration of the solute in the solution and the thickness of the solution under analysis.
What is Beer’s law of Spectrophotometer?
Beer-Lambert law is the principle in a spectrophotometer and it is stated above.
In mathematical terms, it is expressed as A = εlc
In this equation, A is absorbance, ε is molar absorption and c is the substance concentration. While l is the sample length.
Moreover, this law is used widely for quantitative analysis and informs the substance concentration based on its absorbance.