Dual Microplate or Cuvette Spectrophotometer Increases Lab Flexibility

A state-of-the-art UV/visible spectrophotometer is now available that is suitable for both microplate and cuvette based measurements.

The new instrument is the BMG Labtech (Offenburg, Germany) SPECTROstar Nano. The manufacturer describes it as an ultra-fast UV/visible absorbance spectrometer that can scan the entire spectrum from 220 nm to 1000 nm in less than one second per well with selectable spectral resolution of 1 nm to 10 nm. The instrument is compatible with all microplate formats from 6- to 1536-wells, and also has a standard cuvette port for individual samples.


The microplate format permits measurements of extremely low volumes (as little as two μL) for measurements of DNA, RNA, protein, etc. The instrument is capable of incubating both microplate and cuvette samples up to 45 °C with or without shaking. In addition, it is possible to flood the chamber with an inert gas in the event of atmospheric sensitive samples.

The SPECTROstar Nano is equipped with a new version of BMG Labtech's established reader control and comprehensive data analysis software, MARS. With a simple to use "Quick Run”' feature it reads ELISAs, RNA, DNA, protein (Bradford, BCA, and Lowry methods), cell growth, and beta-galactosidase assays using predefined protocols.

The speed of the spectrometer, its simple push button operation, and the ability to design and save individual assay protocols give users an unmatched flexibility to optimize settings for all absorbance experiments.

Related Links:
BMG Labtech