This protocol outlines the construction and operation of a DIY NanoDrop spectrophotometer for quantifying DNA at 260 nm - 280nm, utilizing a USB webcam, UV- LED, DVD diffraction grating, mirror, and blackbox enclosure. It includes step-by-step instructions for assembly, calibration, and measurement, tailored for use with Theremino Spectrometer software. Suitable for educational or low-budget laboratory settings.
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Do you happen to have the 2d print files and the exact type of the LED?
Thank you,
Adrian
hello
unfortunately no,
but i advise having a very stable led installed, and kind of movement or deviation for the led would create a problem and change light path
I kept that project on my possible future projects for a while as Iām not sure if the result is reliable. One site tht did a remake is on the Thought Emporium and the guy made some optimizations including adding a hinge so the alignment keeps unchanged.
Did you run any tests to see if this DIY device is reliable?
yes, we used it as one of our references
and yes we tested it with a known standard dna sample, the results were very close
i think it needs a bit of adjustment and fine tuning, but it is functional.
keep in mind that we are working with a budget of 50$
if you can buy a decent webcam and led and a god blackbox, things will be a lot better.
Yes, I think I understand your constraints. The way I operate is the cheapest simplest device that meets the decent quality requirements. Of course that is contradictory so finding that balance is definitely difficult.
i think we are on the same page,
in case you decided to build on, let me know if i can help in anyway