Calibration of

Colorimeter
Kahema, S.
 Objectives
• Explain the Importance of calibration in Colorimeter.
• Describe calibration steps for Colorimeter.
• List of material required in colorimeter calibration.
• Demonstrate Calibration steps in Colorimeter.
 Importance of Calibrating
Colorimeter
• Better accuracy
• To avoid the aqueous solution which alone absorbs
light in addition to the chemical of interest
 Calibrating the Colorimeter
• A colorimeter is an apparatus designed to pass light
through a solution to measure its absorbance.
• This absorbance data is frequently utilized to
determine concentrations of unknown solutions.
• Calibration of the Colorimeter is not always required,
but is recommended for better accuracy.
Calibrating the Colorimeter Cont.…
• Calibration is necessary because the aqueous solution
alone absorbs light in addition to the chemical of
interest.
• To overcome this, it is common to prepare a "blank"
solution first.
• The blank (reagent contain no sample) solution
contains everything that the coloured solution does,
except for the one chemical whose absorbance is to
be measured.
Calibrating the Colorimeter Cont…
• All modern colorimeters have built-in calibration
features, so generally calibration begins the blank is
inserted and the colorimeter records this
absorbance as "zero absorbance."
• The colorimeter is then considered calibrated.
List of material required Colorimeter
• Protective gloves
• Lab coat
• Biohazard waste container
• Distilled water
• Blank solution
 Key Points
• A colorimeter is an apparatus designed to pass light through a
solution to measure its absorbance.
• This absorbance data is frequently utilized to determine
concentrations of unknown solutions.
• But before the colorimeter can be used to do this, it must be
calibrated.
• This is necessary because the aqueous solution alone absorbs
light in addition to the chemical of interest.
• To overcome this, it is common to prepare a "blank" solution
first.
 References
• Introduction to Microbiology, John Ingraham, Catherine and A.
Ingraham: Publisher Book Cole. USA
• Health Laboratory Manual for Tropical countries Vol II ,Monica
Cheesbrough :Publisher Oxford, ELBS Butterworth-Heinemann
UK
• Introduction to Modern Virology , Nigel J. Dimmock, Sandy B.
Primrose: Publisher Blackwell.USA
• Introduction to Health Laboratory Technology, F.J. Baker, R.E.
Silverton, C.J. Pallister: Publisher Arnold. UK, USA, INDIA
• Basic laboratory Procedures in Clinical Bacteriology, WHO:
Publisher WHO Geneva.