Absorbance (ABS)

Absorbance detection is used for assays such as ELISA assays, protein and nucleic acid quantification or enzyme activity assays. A high power xenon flash lamp illuminates the sample using a specific wavelength selected by an optical filter, or the sample is measured over the entire visible spectrum using a UV/Vis spectrometer. Then a light detector located on the other side of the well measures how much of the initial (100%) light is transmitted through the sample: the amount of transmitted light is related to the concentration of the molecule of interest.

BMG LABTECH has published numerous application notes (AN) on using absorbance detection mode with various BMG LABTECH microplate readers including:

• Enzyme kinetic measurements performed on BMG LABTECH´s FLUOstar OPTIMA (AN 185)
• Detection of NADH and NADPH with the Omega's High Speed, Full UV/Vis Absorbance Spectrometer (AN 170)
• Old Assays, New Instrument: ELISA; NADH and NADPH Conversion; DNA and Protein Quantitation (AN 169)
• Absorbance DNA Quantitation Using BMG LABTECH´s POLARstar Omega Microplate Reader (AN 168)
• Bradford Assay Performed on BMG LABTECH´s FLUOstar Omega with new Evaluation Software (AN 158)
  

Click here for a complete list of absorbance application notes.

For more information on how to perform a simple absorbance measurement with the Omega Series of microplate readers, take a look at the following video:

The following BMG LABTECH microplate readers can be configured to perform absorbance measurements: