Grant's new densitometer provides quick and accurate measurement of cell suspension turbidity

Grant Instruments, a world-renowned supplier of scientific, life sciences and data acquisition products, has further expanded the Grant-bio product range with the introduction a compact and efficient benchtop densitometer for quick and accurate measurement of cell suspension turbidity and cell concentration across a wide variety of life science, microbiology and industrial applications.

The Grant-bio DEN-1 densitometer is factory calibrated and able to measure turbidity in the range of 0.3 to 5.0 McFarland units with a small standard deviation. The range can be extended up to 15 McFarland units but with a concomitant increase in the standard deviation. It can also be user calibrated with commercial standards or cell suspensions prepared in the laboratory. Accurate to ±3%, the unit features a light diode at 565nm wavelength and boasts a measurement time of around one second per sample.

The DEN-1 is very compact - measuring just 165 x 115 x 75mm, has a bright 2 digit LED display and is compatible with 16 or 18mm test tubes. The unit is mains powered, a battery-powered version will be available in the near future. As with all of the Grant-bio range of life science products, the DEN-1 densitometer is robust and reliable and comes with a 2-year warranty.

Typical applications for the new densitometer include determining the concentration of cells (bacterial and yeast) in fermentation processes, detecting the susceptibility of micro-organisms to antibiotics, identifying micro-organisms with various test systems, and measuring optical density at fixed wavelength.

“The DEN-1 is a competitively-priced, multi-purpose, densitometer which offers fast and reliable performance across multiple applications,” says Rob Thorburn, Commercial Manager for Scientific Products at Grant. “It will be popular with life scientists and microbiologists working in the general laboratory as well as those in the brewing industry. Also, because the wavelength is monitored in 565nm, the DEN-1 is ideal for industrial customers that need to monitor processes that involve dyes or solutions that absorb green light.”

Grant's comprehensive range of scientific products includes block heaters and coolers, baths and thermostatic circulators, re-circulating chillers, flow heaters, and, under the Grant-bio brand, microplate and micro-tube thermoshakers, UV cabinets/PCR Workstations, centrifuges, densitometers, rockers, rotators, shakers, mixers and stirrers, including the newly-released MMS-3000 mini magnetic stirrer, a compact stirrer for handling small volumes in routine laboratory procedures such as pH metering, extraction and dialysing.

The Grant-bio series of products can be purchased worldwide through the extensive network of Grant appointed scientific products distributors. A full range of accessories is available, making the Grant-bio product range one of the most comprehensive on the market for sample preparation and treatment, as well as representing excellent value for money.

Grant has been designing, manufacturing and distributing scientific products for the past 57 years and has established a worldwide reputation for high quality, reliable and robust equipment designed to satisfy the most demanding applications for research in life sciences, chemical and general laboratories.