Spectroscopy
UV-Visible Spectrophotometer
Measures how much ultraviolet or visible light a solution absorbs at each wavelength. Used in pharma QC for identification, assay, dissolution and many quick quantitative tests.
- Pharmaceutical
- Biotech
- Food & beverage
- Environmental
- Chemicals
- Academic research
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
Maintenance checklist
Daily / each use
- Check the sample compartment is clean and dry
- Check the baseline with the blank
- Clean cuvettes after use
- Record lamp status if the software reports it
Weekly
- Check cuvettes for scratches and matching
- Wipe the instrument exterior and compartment windows as the manufacturer allows
Monthly / quarterly
- Check lamp hours and energy against the manufacturer's limits
- Run the instrument's built-in performance checks (e.g. wavelength check with deuterium lines)
Six-monthly / annual
- Full calibration: wavelength accuracy, absorbance accuracy, stray light, resolution and photometric linearity
- Preventive maintenance by a trained engineer, including lamp replacement when needed
SAFETY
Safety precautions
Before you work on the UV-Vis
- Do not look at the lamps or open the lamp housing while they are on: the deuterium lamp emits UV radiation that can damage the eyes and skin.
- Lamps and housings get very hot; let them cool before replacement.
- Many solvents (hexane, methanol, acetonitrile) are flammable and toxic: prepare solutions in a fume hood.
- Calibration standards such as potassium dichromate are toxic and carcinogenic; handle them with gloves and dispose of them as hazardous waste.
- Perchloric acid (used in some holmium oxide solutions) is a strong oxidiser; use certified sealed reference cells where possible.
In LimsPulse · Calibration Management
Keep every UV-Vis in control: usage logs, calibration and maintenance schedules, and automatic blocking of overdue instruments.