A reliable spectrophotometer is one of the most important pieces of equipment in any research laboratory. Everyone knows that ensuring your DNA, RNA or protein sample is accurately quantified can make the difference between a successful experiment and an unsuccessful one. For this reason, our lab recently purchased an Ultrospec 3100
pro UV/Visible Spectrophotometer from GE Healthcare Pharmacia Biotech. The Ultrospec 3100
pro is a simple-to-use, versatile instrument that meets all our spectrophotometric needs.
The Ultrospec 3100 pro UV/Visible Spectrophotometer possesses an excellent wavelength scanning capability, low bandwidth, as well as a good signal-to noise ratio. In addition, the absorbance readings of the spectrophotometer are accurate and highly reproducible. It is extremely useful for a wide variety of applications such as the determination of protein and nucleic acid concentrations, primer quantification, studying enzyme kinetics and the determination of the absorbance of cells grown in culture. It is light, compact and resistant to shocks (that is, it has endured the rigors of our lab). The instrument is equipped with built-in software which can be used to store calibration graphs, etc. The software also stores protocols for all standard protein and nucleic acid assays.
This spectrophotometer also comes with an automatic 8-cell cuvette holder equipped with a movable turret, which enables the user to run multiple samples at the same time. This multicell holder is controlled by a microprocessor that runs a correction by reference to the blank whenever necessary. This allows the user to compensate for special cases, namely when the blank solution is unstable. The spectrophotometer is robust and technically easy to handle and there are many useful features incorporated into its design. In addition, the accessories are simple to install and a wide variety of samples can be accommodated with optional holders. Also, the expertise of the GE Healthcare Pharmacia Biotech technical staff is excellent. Apart from maintenance of the instrument, they keep supplying useful scientific literature and protocols, which prove to be very useful for troubleshooting, as well as improving the design of, experiments.
The Ultrospec 3100 pro spectrophotometer has been designed to include many useful features. But perhaps the best part is that it is extremely competitively priced. It is a robust piece of equipment designed for low maintenance and durability. There is also a wide range of accessories available for the Ultrospec 3100 pro, which makes it an extremely useful integrated system for a wide variety of applications. In summary, I would have no problem recommending this machine to anyone looking for a reliable spectrophotometer.
Piyali Dasgupta, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Columbia University, New York