UV-Vis (Ultraviolet-Visible) spectrophotometers are frequently used to measure the concentration of different types of chemical compounds that absorb light in the UV and visible areas of the electromagnetic spectrum. The variety of chemical substances that UV-Vis can detect includes:
Organic compounds
UV-Vis spectrophotometers are commonly used to determine the concentration of organic compounds with conjugated double bonds or aromatic rings. Examples include chromophores such as phenols, nitro compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
Inorganic compounds
Some inorganic compounds absorb light in the UV-Vis range as well, such as transition metal ions like iron, copper, and chromium. These compounds can be measured in solution by their characteristic absorption spectra.
Biological molecules
Many biomolecules, such as nucleic acids, proteins, and enzymes, have characteristic absorption spectra in the UV-Vis region. These molecules can be analyzed to determine their concentration or to understand their interactions.
Analytical reagents
Some commonly employed analytical reagents for chemical analysis, such as indicator dyes and metal chelating agents, absorb light in the UV-Vis region. The concentration of these reagents can be measured by UV-Vis spectrophotometer to ensure precise and reliable analytical results.
Overall, UV-Vis is a useful and important tool in many chemistry, biology, and materials science departments since it can measure a wide variety of chemical substances.