Unless bombarded with noxious fumes or blowing dust, we don't usually think about the air we breathe. But biologists working with sensitive samples such as anaerobic bacteria don't have that luxury.
Essex, UK-based Optiglass' GL14 series of spectrophotometer cells for anaerobic samples offers a convenient way to prevent exposure of samples to the surrounding environment.
The cuvettes are sealed with a septum top through which liquid samples or gas can be injected and removed without the need to open the cell. "You can create any atmosphere that you require simply by piercing the septum with needles and purging the cuvette," says John Webster of Starna Cells, Optiglass' US distributor. A closed-cover cap that keeps samples gas-tight for extended periods of time is also available.
John Hammond, marketing representative for Optiglass, notes that the GL14 cuvettes can be used for the determination of cytochrome P450 concentration, which is measured by its...