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Learning Center
Prepare Samples and Blanks
204 NanoDrop One User Guide Thermo Scientific
Prepare Samples and Blanks
Preparing Samples
Choosing and Measuring a Blank
The buffer used to resuspend a sample analyte can contribute absorbance. Blanking minimizes
any absorbance contribution due to the buffer components from the sample measurement.
The resulting sample spectrum represents the absorbance of only the analyte of interest. For
more information, watch the multimedia training What is a blank?
• Isolate and purify samples before measuring
them with the instrument. Commercial
sample isolation kits are available for these
purposes, or use an in-house protocol. After
purification, analyte of interest is typically
dissolved in aqueous buffer solution before
it is measured.
Tip: Any molecule that absorbs light at
analysis wavelength will contribute to total
absorbance value used to calculate sample
concentration.
• Ensure final analyte concentration is within
instrument’s absorbance detection limits.
• For micro-volume measurements, gently
(but thoroughly) vortex each sample before
taking a measurement.
Tip: Heat highly concentrated or large
molecule nucleic acid samples, such as
genomic or lambda DNA, to 63 °C
(145 °F) before vortexing them.
• Avoid introducing bubbles when mixing
and pipetting. For more information,
watch multimedia training Effects of
Bubbles in Samples.
Note Samples dissolved in extremely volatile solvent such as hexane may work best with
cuvette sampling option (NanoDrop One
C
instruments only).
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