Submicroliter Cell for NanoPhotometer C40-Touch: Precision Microvolume Analysis
The Submicroliter Cell for NanoPhotometer C40-Touch is an essential accessory designed to expand the capabilities of your standard cuvette spectrophotometer, enabling the analysis of ultra-low volume samples with exceptional precision. In many life science applications—particularly genomics and proteomics—sample availability is often the limiting factor. Researchers frequently face the challenge of quantifying precious DNA, RNA, or protein samples where standard cuvette volumes (typically 50 µl to 1 ml) are simply not feasible. This specialised cell transforms the C40-Touch into a fully functional microvolume instrument, allowing you to conserve valuable samples while maintaining the rigorous accuracy required for downstream applications like NGS sequencing or qPCR.
Technologically, the Submicroliter Cell operates by creating a strictly defined optical path length using interchangeable magnetic lids. Unlike standard cuvettes which have a fixed 10 mm path, this cell utilises Lid 10 (1 mm path length) and Lid 50 (0.2 mm path length) to mechanically shorten the distance light travels through the sample. This “virtual dilution” allows for the direct measurement of highly concentrated samples (up to 4,000 ng/µl of dsDNA) without the manual errors and waste associated with physical dilution. The sample is simply pipetted onto the quartz window, compressed by the lid to form a stable capillary film, and measured instantly.
Key Benefits:
- Maximum Sample Conservation: Requires only 0.5 µl – 2 µl per reading. Ideal for scarce or precious samples such as stem cell extracts, forensic DNA, or purification eluates, ensuring no sample is wasted during quality control.
- Extended Dynamic Range: Measure concentrations up to 4,000 ng/µl. By utilising the Lid 50 (0.2 mm path length), the system can accurately quantify high-concentration nucleic acids and proteins without the need for time-consuming and error-prone manual dilutions.
- Dual Path Length Flexibility: Includes Lid 10 and Lid 50. Operators can easily switch between path lengths to optimise sensitivity for different concentration ranges—Lid 10 for standard concentrations and Lid 50 for high-yield samples.
- Seamless C40 Integration: Plug-and-play compatibility. Specifically engineered for the NanoPhotometer C40-Touch, fitting directly into the standard cuvette holder to provide microvolume performance comparable to dedicated nanovolume spectrophotometers.
- Robust Optical Design: High-quality quartz construction. Ensures full spectral transmission from 200 nm to 900 nm, making it suitable for UV nucleic acid quantification as well as colorimetric protein assays.
Technical Insights
The core advantage of the Submicroliter Cell lies in its ability to manipulate the Beer-Lambert Law ($A = \epsilon \cdot c \cdot l$) to the user’s advantage. By reducing the path length ($l$) from the standard 10 mm to 0.2 mm (a factor of 50), the cell reduces the absorbance value recorded by the detector for a given concentration. This prevents detector saturation when measuring highly concentrated samples.
For example, a sample that would theoretically absorb 50 Absorbance Units (A) at a 10 mm path length—far beyond the linear range of any spectrophotometer—will only register 1.0 A when measured with Lid 50 (0.2 mm). The software automatically calculates the correction factor, displaying the final concentration as if it were a standard measurement. This mechanism provides a wide dynamic range (dsDNA 1 – 4,000 ng/µl) typically reserved for dedicated microvolume instruments.
Specifications
- Sample Volume Range: 0.5 µl – 2 µl
- Path Lengths: 1 mm (Lid 10) and 0.2 mm (Lid 50)
- Detection Range (dsDNA): 1 – 4,000 ng/µl
- Wavelength Support: Full spectrum (UV/Vis)
- Material: Quartz optics with metal housing
- Compatibility: Implen NanoPhotometer C40-Touch (Standard Cuvette Port)
- Application: Nucleic Acid (DNA/RNA) Quantification, Protein UV, Protein Assays