Turner BioSystems Picofluor User manual

Picofluor™
Handheld Fluorometer
Operating Manual
Part Number: 998-0853
Version: 1.5

Turner BioSystems, Inc. and its suppliers own the written and other materials in the
Picofluor™ Handheld Fluorometer. The written materials are copyrighted and protected by
the copyright laws of the United States of America and, throughout the world, by the
copyright laws of each jurisdiction according to respective treaties and conventions. No part
of this manual may be reproduced manually, electronically, or any other form therein
without the written permission of Turner BioSystems, Inc.
Picofluor™is a trademark of Turner BioSystems, Inc. All of the trademarks, service marks,
and logos used in these materials are the property of Turner BioSystems, Inc. or their
respective owners.
All goods and services sold are subject to the terms and conditions of sale of the company
within the Turner BioSystems, Inc. group that supplies them. A copy of these terms and
conditions is available upon request.
NOTICE TO PURCHASER: The Picofluor™ Handheld Fluorometer is for research
purposes only. It is not intended or approved for diagnosis of disease in humans or
animals.
© Turner BioSystems, Inc. 2007 — All rights reserved.
Made in the USA
Part Number: 998-0853
Version: 1.5
February 9, 2010

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Table of Contents
1Introduction ....................................................................................................................................2
1.1 Description .....................................................................................................................................2
1.2 General Information and Precautions.................................................................... 2
1.3 LCD...................................................................................................................................................2
1.4 Inspection.......................................................................................................................................2
1.5 Setup................................................................................................................................................2
2Quick View Diagrams..................................................................................................................... 3
3Instrument Workflow .....................................................................................................................4
4Instrument Calibration and Operation .........................................................................................6
4.1 Instrument Power Up..................................................................................................................6
4.2LCD...................................................................................................................................................6
4.3Detection Channel Configuration............................................................................................6
4.4Calibration Overview...................................................................................................................6
4.5Calibration ......................................................................................................................................7
4.6Setting Calibration Standard Value........................................................................................7
4.7Performing the Calibration ........................................................................................................7
4.8Sample Analysis...........................................................................................................................7
4.9Diagnostic Information................................................................................................................8
5Internal Data Logging (IDL)...........................................................................................................9
5.1 To activate the IDL.......................................................................................................................9
5.2 Download Data .............................................................................................................................9
5.3 Erase Data .....................................................................................................................................9
6General Considerations for Analysis.........................................................................................10
6.1 Handling Samples......................................................................................................................10
6.2 Linear Range and Quenching................................................................................................10
6.3 Temperature Considerations..................................................................................................10
6.4 Positioning Samples..................................................................................................................11
6.5 Data Quality.................................................................................................................................11
7Warranty........................................................................................................................................12
7.1 Terms.............................................................................................................................................12
7.2 Warranty Service........................................................................................................................12
7.3 Out-of-Warranty Service..........................................................................................................13
APPENDIX A Instrument Specifications..............................................................................................14
A.1 General Specifications .............................................................................................................14
A.2 Optical Specifications ...............................................................................................................14
APPENDIX B Internal Datalogging .......................................................................................................15
B.1 Shipping Checklist.....................................................................................................................15
B.2 Hardware Requirements..........................................................................................................15
B.3 Installation ....................................................................................................................................15
B.4 Connecting...................................................................................................................................15
B.5 Troubleshooting..........................................................................................................................15

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1Introduction
1.1 Description
The Picofluor™ is a dual-channel fluorometer designed for fast, reliable and accurate fluorescence
measurements. When properly calibrated with a known standard, the Picofluor™ can be used to
determine concentrations of unknown samples.
1.2 General Information and Precautions
•The Picofluor™ readily accepts methacrylate or polystyrene cuvettes. Do not use glass or quartz
cuvettes.
•The Sample Compartment cannot accept cuvettes with an outer diameter over 12 mm. The 10 mm
size refers to the internal diameter of the cuvette so some plastic cuvettes may also be too large.
•Do not force oversized cuvettes into the Sample Compartment. This can damage the Sample
Compartment. If the cuvette does not easily fit into the Sample Compartment, use a different cuvette.
•Use caution around solvents as they may corrode the plastic case of the Picofluor™.
•If a liquid is accidentally spilled inside the Sample Compartment, invert the Picofluor™ to drain the
excess liquid. Then wipe the inside area dry with a clean soft towel or tissue.
•If extra cleaning is needed, use a mild detergent to dampen the towel and wipe.
•Do not submerge the Picofluor™ in water.
•Do not expose the Picofluor™ to temperatures outside the specified range of 5 oC to 40 oC. Damage
may occur to the unit and will not be covered under warranty.
•A minimum volume of 2 ml in a 10 x 10 mm cuvette is required for best results.
•The Minicell Adapter requires a minimum volume of 75 ml and a maximum volume of 250 ml.
•Avoid having any air bubbles in your sample as they can significantly affect the fluorescence reading.
1.3 Inspection
Upon receiving the instrument, inspect everything carefully to make sure all accessories are present. All
shipments include:
•The Picofluor™
•4 AAA Batteries
•4 Plastic Cuvettes
•Internal Data Logging (IDL) package
•PC Interface Cable and Software Instruction
•Spreadsheet Interface Software (1CD)
•This Operating Manual
1.4 Setup
Before the Picofluor™ can be used; the supplied batteries must be installed.
1. On the back of the instrument, loosen the screw and pull the screw up to remove the battery panel
See Section 2 for a diagram.
2. Install the 4 AAA batteries into the appropriate spaces.
3. Replace the battery panel and tighten the screw. The panel has an o-ring, which creates a watertight
seal. The battery panel may be difficult to install if there is no lubrication on the o-ring. Use a silicon
based grease to lightly lubricate the o-ring, if necessary.

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2Quick View Diagrams
Backlit Screen

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3Instrument Workflow
Turner Designs
TD HH1B 0500 5
5 second warm up
XXX.X
A
XXX.X
A
Calib. A
<ENT> to start READING A
Cal Val: XXX.X
<UP/DOWN> A
XXX.X
B
Insert Blank
then press <ENT>
Reading Blank
XX.X
Insert Cal Soln
then press <ENT>
Reading Cal Soln
XX.X
Calibration
Completed <ENT>
Abort Cal?
<UP>Yes <DOWN>No
WAIT XXX.X
A
XXX.X
A
Logging Points
Left: XXX
%FS-Blk: X.XX
%FS-STD: XX.XX
HOME Screen
Press A/B to toggle
between
and
Indicates which channel
is active Indicates activity of
IDL
Press CAL Press READ
and
If ENT is not pressed
within 5 seconds,
this screen will appear
Fluorescence reading
Press DIAG
then ENTER to
toggle between
Press STD VAL

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Datalogger:
<DATA> to toggle
Status: Stop
<ENT> to toggle
Status: Logging
<ENT> to toggle
Download data:
5X<ENT> to start Erase Data 5X<ENT> to start
Data logger has
no valid data!
Download data:
All downloaded Erase Data All data erased
Press DATA
Press DATA 1X Press DATA 2X
Press ENTER
If there is no data logged, this
screen will appear
Press DATA 3X

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4Instrument Calibration and Operation
4.1 Instrument Power Up
To turn on the Picofluor™, press the ON/OFF button. The instrument takes 5 seconds to warm up. After
the warm-up, the Picofluor™ is ready for use.
Pressing the ON/OFF button again will turn off the unit or, if left idle for 3 minutes, the unit will
automatically turn off to save battery power.
A set of new batteries can last over 1,000 sample readings. If the batteries have low power or are not
positioned properly, the following warning message will appear: “Batt Level < 20% !! Caution !!”
4.2 LCD
The PicoFluor™ has a backlit, adjustable brightness LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) for easier viewing. The
contrast may change with temperature and may get lighter as the unit gets colder. While on the HOME
screen, press the UP ARROW button to darken the contrast and press the DOWN ARROW button to
lighten it.
4.3 Detection Channel Configuration
The Picofluor™ has 2 fluorescence detection channels. Identify the configuration by looking at the label
on the back side of the Picofluor™. See the table in Appendix A to confirm the correct configuration for
your application.
Select the appropriate channel by pressing the A/B button to toggle between the 2 channels. The display
will show a label in the lower left corner of the HOME screen to identify which channel is activated.
Model 8000-003
Channel A
UV
= Ultra Violet excitation
Channel B
Blue
= Blue LED excitation
Model 8000-004
Channel A
RHOD
= Green LED excitation
Channel B
Blue
= Blue LED excitation
See Appendix A for optical (wavelength) specifications.
4.4 Calibration Overview
The Picofluor™ should be calibrated using a Primary Standard. A Primary Standard contains the same
fluorescent material that is measured in the unknown samples. The Picofluor™ will give an actual
quantitative concentration reading when a Primary Standard of known concentration is used for
calibration. The Primary Standard is either made to a known concentration, typically in ppb or ug/L units,
or to a known dilution factor. Ideally, the Primary Standard and Blank samples, used for calibration, are
made with the same water in which the tests are performed. The standard and samples must be in the
linear detection range to achieve accurate quantitative results. See Section 6.2 for more details about the
linear range and sample quenching.

4. Instrument Calibration and Operation
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4.5 Calibration
For best accuracy, always calibrate prior to a sample analysis. The Picofluor™ will save the calibration
settings for each channel until a new calibration is performed.
If the temperature of the sample or the Picofluor™ changes significantly, the readings may show a small
shift. In this case, consider recalibrating. The solid Secondary Standard is useful for checking the reading
stability over time and can also be used to recalibrate if needed.
Cuvette orientation and cleanliness can have an impact on the result accuracy.
See Section4.8 for sample analysis guidelines to help insure the best results for the analysis.
4.6 Setting Calibration Standard Value
This defines the numeric value for the standard to be read. For example, if a Primary Standard has a 50
ug/L concentration, then set the value to 50 and the implied unit of measure will be in ug/L.
1. Press the STD VAL button.
2. Press the UP and DOWN ARROW buttons to set the standard value. Holding down either arrow
buttons will result in fast scrolling of the value.
3. When finished, press the ENTER or ESC button to accept the value and return to the HOME screen.
4.7 Performing the Calibration
1. Press the CAL button.
2. Press the ENTER button to start the calibration.
3. Insert the blank sample and press the ENTER button. The Picofluor™ will average the reading for 10
seconds and set the blanking zero point.
4. Insert the standard sample and press the ENTER button.
5. The reading is averaged for 10 seconds and the Standard Calibration value is set.
6. Press the ENTER button when calibration is complete to accept the calibration. If the ENTER button
is not pressed within 10 seconds, a dialog will appear asking the user if aborting the calibration is
desired. Press the UP or DOWN ARROW button to abort or accept the calibration, respectively.
At anytime during steps 1-4, press the ESC button to stop the calibration. The display will return to the
HOME screen and will default the instrument to the previous calibration.
4.8 Sample Analysis
1. Insert a minimum of 2 mL of the sample using a plastic cuvette only.
2. Press one of the READ buttons. The instrument will measure and average the fluorescence signal
over a 5-second interval.
3. The result will be displayed at the top and center of the HOME screen.
4. The top left corner will display “WAIT” for 5 seconds. Once the message “WAIT” disappears, the
Picofluor™ is ready to measure another sample.

4. Instrument Calibration and Operation
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4.9 Diagnostic Information
1. Press the DIAG button to access the diagnostic screens.
2. The first screen shows the number of available data points for internal data logging.
3. Press the ENTER button to toggle to the RFU (Relative Fluorescence Unit) values from the
calibration blank and standard.
4. Press the ESC button when finished to return to the HOME screen.
If the instrument is calibrated using the highest standard concentration and the RFU-Std value is too
close to the RFU-Blk value, the sample reading may exceed the instrument’s detection limit.
Ideally: RFU-Std value ≥ 3
RFU-Blk value