Uses of optical rotation analyzer

An optical rotation analyzer （also commonly called a polarimeter） is a precision instrument used to measure the optical rotation properties of a substance. Its main uses include the following aspects:

1.Chemical analysis

Molecular structure analysis: The polarimeter can measure the rotation Angle of the substance to the polarized light, so as to infer the molecular structure of the substance, especially the three-dimensional conformation of chiral molecules. This is crucial in areas such as organic synthesis, drug discovery and natural product analysis.

Concentration determination: By measuring the Angle of rotation, the concentration of a substance can be calculated. For example, in the determination of the concentration of organic compounds such as sugars, amino acids and fatty acids, the polarimeter provides a fast and accurate method.

Purity detection: The use of polarimeter to measure the rotation Angle of the substance can determine the purity of the substance. In the production of medicines, this helps to ensure that the quality of medicines is up to standard.

2. Pharmaceutical industry

Drug development: Polarimeters are used in drug development to analyze the optical rotation properties of drug molecules, help determine the stereochemical properties of drugs, and thus guide the synthesis and optimization of drugs.

Quality control: In the drug production process, the polarimeter is used to detect the purity, homogeneity and stability of the drug to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the drug.

3. the food industry

Sugar detection: polarimeter is often used to detect the sugar content of food, such as glucose, fructose, etc. This is of great significance for controlling the sweetness and quality of food.

Chiral compound analysis: Some food additives and natural substances have a chiral structure, and the polarimeter can detect the concentration and quality of these substances to ensure product compliance.

4. Life Sciences

Biomolecular research: Polometers can be used to measure the optical rotation properties of proteins, enzymes and other biological macromolecules, providing strong support for the study of the conformation and function of these molecules.

Cell analysis: In cell biology research, the polarimeter can be used to analyze certain optically active substances in the cell, so as to understand the life activities of the cell.

5. Environmental protection

The polarimeter can be used for water quality monitoring and wastewater treatment to help achieve more accurate environmental monitoring and pollution source tracing by detecting the presence of trace amounts of chiral compounds in water.

6. Petrochemical Industry

In the refining process of petroleum products, the polarimeter can effectively analyze various chiral compounds in petroleum, evaluate their quality and composition, and thus optimize the production process and product quality control.

Working principle

The working principle of the polarimeter is based on the phenomenon of optical rotation, that is, when linearly polarized light passes through a material with optical rotation, the direction of vibration of the light will rotate. The Angle of rotation is related to factors such as the optical activity, the concentration and the length of the optical path. By measuring this rotation Angle, the polarimeter can infer the optical rotation properties of the substance and other relevant information.

Structural composition

Polarimeter usually includes light source, polarizer, polarimeter, analyzer and photoelectric detection system. The light source emits a stable light that passes through a polarizer to become linearly polarized light and then passes through the substance to be measured （placed in a polarimetric tube）。 If the material is optically active, the oscillating direction of the polarized light will rotate. The rotated polarized light enters the analyzer, its rotation Angle is measured by the photoelectric detection system, and is converted into an electrical signal for the instrument to read and display.

Precautions for use

Standardized operation: The measurement accuracy of the polarimeter is affected by many factors, so it is necessary to operate under standardized conditions to ensure the reliability of the measurement results.

Sample preparation: The concentration of the sample, temperature, optical path length and other factors will affect the measurement results, so the sample needs to be fully prepared and processed before measurement.

Instrument calibration: Regularly calibrate and maintain the polarimeter to ensure its measurement accuracy and stability.

In general, optical rotation analyzers play an important role in many fields such as chemical analysis, pharmaceutical industry, food industry, life science, environmental protection field and petrochemical industry. With the continuous progress of technology, the measurement accuracy and application range of polarimeter will continue to expand, providing more accurate and efficient services for all walks of life.

2025-03-21 16:44