Spectrophotometry remains one of the simplest ways to perform colorimetric assays in a laboratory environment. The high absorbance of DNA and protein at 260nm and 280nm means that traditional cuvettes are unsuitable for measuring high concentration levels without time-consuming dilution of the sample. To address this, a new class of instruments designed to measure a small (nano) drop of sample over short path lengths emerged.
However, a number of compromises are made in terms of optical path/measurement accuracy and difficulty in cleaning the devices.
BioDrop is a new micro (nan0)-volume solution that overcomes many of the disadvantages of low volume instruments, providing the simplest way for life scientists to accurately quantify microlitre volumes of DNA and protein in almost any UV/Vis spectrophotometer. Dr. Steve Church, a BioDrop scientist, discusses the advantages of this emerging technology:
