Cuvettes and spectrophotometry guide: choosing the right cuvette
Pick a cuvette by wavelength first, then by volume and instrument. A polystyrene cuvette is fine at 600 nm for cell density, but at 260 nm for DNA you need UV-transparent plastic or quartz.
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Last updated: 24 October 2026
Cuvette material and usable wavelength
| Material | Approximate usable range | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Polystyrene (PS) | About 340 to 800 nm | Colorimetric assays, OD600, protein assays in the visible range |
| PMMA (acrylic) | About 300 to 800 nm | Visible assays, somewhat better solvent resistance than PS |
| UV-transparent plastic | About 220 to 900 nm | Nucleic acids at 260/280 nm, routine UV work |
| Optical glass | About 320 to 2500 nm | Visible and near-IR, reusable |
| Quartz (UV fused silica) | About 190 to 2500 nm | Far UV, organic solvents, reference measurements, fluorescence |
Typical values for guidance; always check the manufacturer's data sheet. Sources: see Official sources below.
Ranges vary by manufacturer; check the transmission curve on the product page.
Volume, path length and centre height
The standard path length is 10 mm. Macro cuvettes hold about 2.5 to 4 ml, semi-micro about 1 to 1.6 ml and micro or ultra-micro cuvettes down to a few microlitres. The light beam must pass through the liquid: check your instrument's centre height (often 8.5 mm or 15 mm) and fill above the window. Fluorescence needs cuvettes with four polished sides; absorbance needs only two clear windows.
Getting reliable absorbance values
- The Beer–Lambert law, A = ε · l · c, is linear in practice between about 0.1 and 1.0 absorbance; dilute samples above that.
- Blank with the same cuvette type and the same buffer or solvent.
- Hold cuvettes by the frosted sides, wipe the windows and keep the orientation constant.
- Check the instrument regularly with certified reference filters or solutions from an ISO 17034 producer.
- Do not use PS or PMMA with acetone, chloroform or other aggressive solvents.
Our lab calculators include a Beer–Lambert tool.
Frequently asked questions
Can I measure DNA at 260 nm in a polystyrene cuvette?
No. Polystyrene absorbs strongly below about 340 nm. Use a UV-transparent plastic cuvette or a quartz cuvette.
Are disposable cuvettes accurate enough?
For most routine assays yes, provided you use cuvettes from the same lot for samples and blank. For reference measurements and the far UV, quartz cuvettes are the better choice.
How do I clean a quartz cuvette?
Rinse with the solvent you used, then with purified water, and dry with clean air or ethanol. For stubborn residues use a dedicated cuvette cleaning solution; avoid abrasive tools and hydrofluoric acid.
Standard 10 mm cuvette or a micro cuvette?
Semi-micro and micro cuvettes keep the 10 mm path length but need less sample. Check the centre height of your instrument's light beam (often 8.5 or 15 mm) so the beam passes through the liquid.
Which cuvette for NADH assays at 340 nm?
Use UV-transparent plastic or quartz. Polystyrene and optical glass are at the edge of their usable range at 340 nm, which raises the blank and the noise.
Which cuvette do I need for fluorescence?
A cuvette with four clear, polished sides, because emission is measured at 90° to the excitation beam. Choose quartz or a fluorescence-grade plastic for the wavelengths you use.
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