Advanced Laboratory Technique: Turbidimetry

Advanced Laboratory Technique: Turbidimetry

• Turbidimetry is an analytical technique to measure the turbidity (cloudiness) of a fluid caused by suspended particles.
• Commonly used to quantify antigen-antibody complexes.
• Formation of antigen-antibody complexes increases the turbidity of a sample.
• Turbidity is measured by observing the transmission level of visible light through the sample.

Principle of Turbidimetry

• Light scattering occurs when light passes through a sample with suspended particles.
• The particles scatter the light, reducing the amount of light reaching a detector.
• The reduction in light reaching the detector is measured to determine the turbidity.
• A turbidimeter is used to make these measurements.
• A photocell detector measures the light.
• The sample is placed in a sample cell, and the light is filtered to protect the detector.
• The instrument calculates and displays the turbidity.

Applications of Turbidimetry

• Water quality monitoring: Detecting contaminants and monitoring water treatment processes.
• Biology: Measuring cell concentrations in biological suspensions or bacterial cultures.
• Chemical analysis: Assessing the purity of solutions by detecting particulate matter.
• Pharmaceuticals: Ensuring the clarity and stability of pharmaceutical products.

Advantages of Turbidimetry

• Simple and straightforward technique.
• Fast results.
• Non-destructive; the sample is not altered during measurement.

Disadvantages of Turbidimetry

• Interference: Colored substances can interfere with measurements.
• Limited sample types: Not suitable for samples with very low or high turbidity.