Spectrofluorometer

Location: 015 Brauer Hall

Model:  Horiba Aqualog UV-800-C

Description: Spectrofluorometer is an instrument that works on the principle of fluorescence spectroscopy. It is a rapid and sensitive method for the characterization of molecular components present in a sample. Fluorescence exploits the phenomenon of electron excitation upon collision with high-energy particles like photons and other excited electrons. In the process of transition of fluorophores from their excited to ground state by lowering their energy level, photons are emitted. Fluorophores play the most important role in fluorescence spectroscopy. Fluorophores are the components in molecules that impart fluorescence. Mostly, fluorophores are the molecules which contain aromatic rings such as tyrosine, tryptophan, fluorescein, etc.

Capabilities:

Absorbance is quantified in the UV-visible range (200 – 800 nm) and is used to calculate absorbance coefficients, specific UV absorbance (color per unit carbon), and spectral slopes.

• A 150W deozonated source emitting light from 200nm to the NIR.
• A double grating excitation monochromator blazed for optimized performance from the deep UV to the NIR range and an aberration-corrected spectrograph for acquiring complete fluorescence spectra from 250-800nm and slits fixed at 5nm bandpass and silicon photodiode reference and absorbance detectors.
• A TE cooled CCD for rapid, low-noise acquisitions of fluorescence spectra. Fluorescence excitation range is 200-800nm, fluorescence emission range is 250-800nm, A-TEEM range is 200-800nm and the absorbance range using photodiode alone is 200-1000nm.  

Typical uses:

• Measures the absorbance and fluorescence of dissolved organic matter.
• In biosciences, one of the most frequent applications of fluorescence spectroscopy is the high precision quantification of DNA and RNA.
• Time-resolved fluorescence quenching and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy are used to study these interactions and understand nanotechnology better.
• High-resolution fluorescence spectroscopy and 3D-excitation emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy are used to characterize dissolved organic matter in these samples and then based on that, optimize treatment processes for landfill leachate/
• Spectrofluorometric techniques are also used in the pharmaceutical field to analyze drugs. An example is the analysis of co-formulated tablets prescribed as cholesterol medication.  

Fees

Per hour rate	Trained user	By our service
Other departments at WUSTL	$12	$72
Other universities	$10	$70
Industry Corporate	$40	$160