Guide: Choosing the Right UV Light Disinfection
There are many methods of UV Light Disinfection, and here are the various types and the tools that adopt the respective technologies.
Color surrounds us every moment of our lives and affects our emotions, behaviors, and beliefs in large and small, conscious and unconscious ways. Color can set a mood, warn us of danger, give us critical information, and even bring us joy. Despite the universal presence of color, describing it remains elusive, in part due to variations in color perception from person to person and in part due to a lack of descriptors for each of the millions of shades seen by the human eye.
Instrumental color measurement moves beyond the limits of human perception and vocabulary and allows us to capture color information as objective data, creating a common language of color that is essential for communication within and between industries around the world. The two most advanced color measurement instrument types are colorimeters and spectrophotometers, both of which use sophisticated technologies to accurately and precisely quantify and define color.
While closely related, these instruments have unique qualities that may make one more suitable than the other for a particular type of measurement.1 Understanding the characteristics of a colorimeter vs. spectrophotometer can help you select the best tool for your application.
A Colorimeter is designed to perform a type of psychophysical sample analysis by mimicking human eye-brain perception, which means its measurements correlate to human perception.. In other words, it is designed to see color the way we do.
Its results are direct and read as tristimulus values. A tristimulus value is one that identifies a color with characters that represent different dimensions of its visual appearance. A tristimulus value may contain values like X, Y and Z or L, a and b. The “gold standard” for tristimulus colors is the CIE Color System, developed by the International Commission on Illumination — the CIE in the title stands for the French version of their name.
There are a few unique components involved in a Colorimeter.
A Colorimeter’s usage is often based on the Beer-Lambert law, which tells us that the concentration of a solute is proportional to its absorbance. The colorimeter starts with a simple light source. With the help of a lens and tristimulus absorption filters, the beam of light becomes a single, focused wavelength which then moves through to the sample solution. On the other side of the solution is a photocell detector that identifies how much of the wavelength got absorbed. The detector is connected to a processor and digital display that offers a readable output of the results.
Now that you know how it works, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of a colorimeter.
Below are some of the benefits of a colorimeter.
While the advantages of a colorimeter are clear, there are a few disadvantages associated with them.
Typically, the colorimeter compares results to an existing sample. Colorimeters are extraordinarily accurate for straightforward color measurement and ideally suited for determination of color difference, fastness and strength as well as routine comparisons of similar colors. As such, they can be invaluable for color quality control and are primarily used in the production and inspection phases of manufacturing.
A spectrophotometer is an instrument designed for physical sample analysis via full spectrum color measurement. By providing wavelength-by-wavelength spectral analysis of a sample’s reflectance, absorbance, or transmittance properties, it produces precise data beyond that observable by the human eye. If desired, spectrophotometers can be used to calculate psychophysical colorimetric information as well.
Spectrophotometers are incredibly precise and offer an expansive range of data. They use similar components to a colorimeter but with slight variations.
The basic layout of a spectrophotometer is similar to a colorimeter, but with more steps and variations, as well as some different components. An illuminant projects a light source onto an object and through a prism, grating or filter. The tool used will isolate just one wavelength band to hit the sample. A sensor then detects the light that doesn’t get absorbed by the item and passes the data onto a processor or computer equipped with the appropriate software. It can detect things like reflectance, transparency and illuminance along with a tristimulus value.
Some of the advantages of a spectrophotometer are as follows.
Of course, no piece of technology is without a few drawbacks. Here are a few cons of spectrophotometers.
In the past, spectrophotometers have been large and complicated, but modern technology allows them to be smaller and more user-friendly.
Spectrophotometers offer a higher level of flexibility and versatility than colorimeters due in part to the fact that they offer multiple illuminant/observer combinations and can operate in multiple geometric arrangements, including 45°/0° and d/8°. As such, spectrophotometers are capable of measuring metamerism, identifying colorant strength, analyzing a comprehensive range of sample types and giving users a choice between including or excluding specular reflectance to account for geometric attributes.
Full-spectrum analysis also provides for greater specificity, potentially identifying color differences missed by colorimeters. Spectrophotometric instruments are ideally suited for a broad range of applications in the research and development phase, including color formulation and color system development, as well as color quality control throughout production.
There are several similarities between colorimeters and spectrophotometers, but the two are still vastly different. The biggest difference is in capability and usage. Spectrophotometers are incredibly powerful and can offer more in-depth measurements than a colorimeter, such as spectral data. This is why they are primarily used for precise measurements in research and development or laboratory use. Colorimeters, in comparison, are simpler and are common in production and manufacturing, such as for quality control.
Some other differences include:
Choosing a color measurement instrument requires an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of both colorimeters and spectrophotometers as detailed above. If you are still uncertain about which instrument is best for your purposes, these questions, inspired by David R. Wyble of the Rochester Institute of Technology, can help you gain clarity when considering your options.:2
At HunterLab, we have been pioneers in the field of color measurement for over 60 years. We offer a comprehensive range of modern colorimetric and spectrophotometric instruments designed to meet the versatile needs and exacting standards of our customers across industries whether in the field, the lab or on the factory floor.
Our commitment to continuous innovation and technological excellence has led to the development of the highest quality colorimeters, spectrophotometers, and software products available on the market today, expanding the possibilities of color analysis, formulation and quality control. Contact us to learn more about our color measurement instruments, customizable software packages and dedicated customer support services and let us help you select the right tools for your applications.
There are many methods of UV Light Disinfection, and here are the various types and the tools that adopt the respective technologies.
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