Automatic Anti-Photolysis Shutter
Product code: OPT-667
Prolonged exposure of a sample to light can present significant problems for fluorescence experiments since photobleaching can occur, where intense excitation light causes photolysis of the fluorophore. Furthermore, for absorption measurements using a photo-diode array detector, photochemical effects may be induced by polychromatic light incident on the reaction volume.
To combat these effects, TgK Scientific have developed an automated electro-mechanical shutter system, where the shutter is opened and closed rapidly to regulate the amount of light falling on the sample, this operation is synchronised with the data acquisition process such that data is only acquired during the shutter opening periods. The number of shutter openings during an acquisition period can be adjusted by the user as indeed can the acquisition period.
The auto-shutter option can be readily installed onto the KinetAsyst stopped-flow system, the shutter itself is inserted into the light path and the accompanying driver unit is connected into the system electronics. The Kinetic Studio software features the necessary capability to configure and use this option as controlled from the computer.
Sample data showing a known photolysis problem:
Sample shot suffering from photochemical damage
Sample shot with shutter mode activated
Relevant Application Notes
AN.009.S60
Investigation of photolytic effects in the reaction between Fe3+ and SCN- using shutter techniques in a computer controlled Stopped-Flow System.
