<title>Automated laser spectrofluorimeter for biophysics and biomedicine</title>

Abstract

We present automated laser spectrofluorimeter and some applications of it. Laser spectrofluorimeter is fully automated. The lasers and all optical and electronic devices are controlled by the computer. The laser spectrofluorimeter can be used for measuring stationary fluorescence and anisotropy spectra, time-resolved fluorescence characteristics with temporal resolution from subnanoseconds to milliseconds: (1) instantaneous florescence spectra (0.1 ns - 10 ms); (2) fluorescence kinetics and lifetime of the excited state (0.05ense - e10ems, after mathematical treatment); and (3) anisotropy spectra and anisotropy kinetics (0.1 ns - 10 ms). Experimental data can be treated with a full set of programs: (1) deconvolution of fluorescence pulse with up to 3-exponent approximation; (2) calculation of anisotropy kinetics with simultaneous deconvolution for different polarization; (3) calculation of instantaneous spectra from fluorescence decays; and (4) mathematical treatment of spectra (position of spectrum, halfwidth, asymmetry, etc). Laser spectrofluorimeter was tested on a number of objects (dye solutions, fluorescent probe in phospholipid bilayer and red blood cell membranes, humus substances in natural water, etc.) and demonstrated its high versatility.