Molecular absorption spectrophotometers represent an important category of analytical measurement instruments. Analytical spectrophotometers that operate in the ultraviolet and visible regions of the electromagnetic spectrum are essential analytical workhorses in FDA-regulated healthcare laboratories. Spectrophotometric measurements are usually conducted in the static mode although they may also be configured for dynamic flow analysis and remote operation using fiber optic probes. The two most common spectrophotometer sample cell designs and configurations for static mode measurements are the traditional single cuvette format and the high-throughput microplate format.
Spectrophotometers in FDA-regulated laboratories must be qualified prior to use to document their fitness-for-use. The qualification procedure entails testing or validation of several key instrumental parameters of the spectrophotometer much of which requires the use of certified optical filters.
Despite the prevailing lack of quality systems that require commercial UV/VIS calibration providers to use a sound science-based calibration methodology in the recertification of spectrophotometer test filters, Stranaska Scientific LLC has recognized for more than 20 years that quality control, systems suitability testing and qualification of UV/VIS spectrophotometers are vital analytical scientific tasks which demand the highest scientific metrological attention and rigor. The “one size fits all” approach embraced by ALL other commercial UV/VIS calibration providers simply is inadequate for critical needs in science-based compliance and can put laboratories unknowingly at undue risk.
Most laboratory UV/VIS applications require that the test filters be certified using an advanced calibration model (ACM) that has scientific and metrological traceability rigor exceeding that of the typical consensus calibration model used by ALL other commercial UV/VIS calibration providers. Based on the linkage to its unique NIST heritage, Stranaska Scientific offers UV/VIS calibration options that have different levels of scientific metrological rigor and defensibility. Only Stranaska Scientific customers are provided the special flexibility to select the appropriate option that is commensurate with the level of criticality of the laboratory UV/VIS methods.
