Researchers have different technology options available for absorbance measurements. This blog compares spectrometers and monochromators. What’s the difference?

The fundamental observation that almost all molecules in nature absorb and emit light at different wavelengths has driven developments in spectroscopy and fueled discoveries across scientific disciplines. Today researchers have access to technologies and instruments that use different forms of light to generate precise measurements of how much of a particular substance is present in a solution. These technologies are also useful in identifying molecules, analyzing the composition of samples, and studying molecular properties and processes. Light can be readily used to quantify the concentrations of substances such as nucleic acids, proteins and other molecules. It can also be deployed to measure the activities of enzymes or assess the levels of contamination in biological samples.

But what are the technologies behind the applications and what are the preferred options for making absorbance measurements in microplates? This article looks at monochromators and spectrometers, two different ways of manipulating light to enable biological measurements, and their uses for absorbance measurements.

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