Metash UV-5100B Single-Beam Ultraviolet-Visible Spectrophotometer

Overview

The Metash UV-5100B is a single-beam ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer engineered for routine quantitative analysis in academic laboratories, quality control environments, and industrial R&D settings. It operates on the fundamental principle of Beer–Lambert law-based absorbance measurement, where sample transmittance or absorbance is quantified across a continuous spectral range from 190 nm to 1000 nm. Its optical architecture integrates a dual-lamp source (deuterium for UV and tungsten-halogen for visible/NIR regions), a fixed-slit monochromator with 2 nm spectral bandwidth, and a photodiode array detector for stable, low-noise signal acquisition. Designed for operational robustness and method reproducibility, the UV-5100B delivers consistent photometric performance under standard laboratory conditions—without requiring external calibration standards for daily use due to its embedded wavelength self-calibration and drift compensation algorithms.

Key Features

• Single-beam optical design optimized for cost-effective, high-stability absorbance measurements in regulated and non-regulated workflows.
• Automated wavelength scanning and positioning with real-time correction for mechanical drift—no manual alignment or external calibration required during routine operation.
• 128 × 64 dot-matrix LCD display providing simultaneous visualization of wavelength, absorbance/transmittance, and sample ID—optimized for readability under varied ambient lighting.
• Dual-lamp system with tool-free deuterium lamp replacement; no optical recalibration needed post-lamp change—reducing instrument downtime and technician dependency.
• Onboard data management supporting up to 200 individual sample readings and 200 user-defined calibration curves, each accessible via numeric ID for traceable method recall.
• Three operational modes: C-mode (multi-point standard curve generation and concentration interpolation), F-mode (user-input polynomial coefficients for custom calibration equations), and A-mode (direct absorbance/transmittance readout).
• Power-fail memory retention ensures all stored spectra, curves, and measurement parameters remain intact after unexpected shutdown.
• Standard USB 2.0 interface compliant with Windows OS platforms; enables direct export of raw data (.csv) and method files for secondary analysis in Excel, Origin, or LIMS-compatible systems.

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The UV-5100B accommodates standard 10 mm pathlength quartz, glass, or plastic cuvettes (including matched pairs for baseline correction). It supports liquid-phase analysis of aqueous and organic solutions, colloidal suspensions (within turbidity limits), and diluted biological extracts. While not validated for GMP or FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance out-of-the-box, its data integrity features—including timestamped measurements, non-editable storage logs, and method ID tagging—align with GLP documentation requirements. The instrument conforms to ISO 9001 manufacturing standards and meets IEC 61010-1 safety specifications for laboratory electrical equipment. Stray light performance (≤0.05% T at 220 nm and 360 nm) satisfies ASTM E275 and ISO 6223 criteria for UV-Vis photometric accuracy in pharmaceutical excipient testing and water quality monitoring.

Software & Data Management

The optional Metash Quantitative Analysis Software extends native functionality into a full-featured desktop application compatible with Windows 10/11. It provides graphical curve fitting (linear, quadratic, cubic), kinetic time-scan overlays, multi-wavelength ratio calculations, and customizable report templates. All exported datasets include metadata headers (date/time, operator ID, instrument serial number, lamp hours, and wavelength reference), supporting audit-ready documentation. Raw absorbance spectra can be exported in ASCII format for integration into third-party chemometrics tools. No cloud connectivity or remote access capabilities are included—ensuring full data sovereignty and compatibility with air-gapped lab networks.

Applications

• Pharmaceutical QC: Assay of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) per USP and EP 2.2.25 methods.
• Environmental testing: Nitrate, phosphate, and COD determination in wastewater per APHA Standard Methods.
• Food & beverage: Colorimetric quantification of anthocyanins, carotenoids, and preservatives (e.g., sulfites, nitrites).
• Academic teaching labs: Fundamental spectroscopy experiments including molar absorptivity determination, equilibrium constant calculation, and enzyme kinetics (initial rate analysis).
• Materials science: Bandgap estimation of semiconductor nanoparticles via Tauc plot analysis using absorbance onset data.

FAQ

Does the UV-5100B support kinetic or time-scan measurements?
No—the instrument performs static endpoint measurements only. Time-resolved data acquisition requires external triggering via the USB interface and third-party software.
Is the photodiode array cooled?
No—ambient-temperature photodiode array detection is used; thermal noise is mitigated through hardware-level signal averaging and digital filtering.
Can I import external calibration curves created on other instruments?
Not directly—the UV-5100B accepts only internally generated curves or manually entered coefficients in F-mode; CSV-based curve import is unsupported.
What is the typical lamp lifetime?
Deuterium lamp: ≥500 hours; tungsten lamp: ≥2000 hours—both values measured under standard 8-hour/day usage conditions.
Is GLP-compliant audit trail functionality available?
Basic operator and timestamp logging is embedded; however, full electronic signature, change history, and user permission tiers require the optional software add-on module (sold separately).