UltraBright UV transilluminator

[swing0916]

From the attached EtBr spectrum, it is possible to excite EtBr by VIS light, expecially blue wavelength. Band image relates to contrast. If intensity of blue light is high enough, the contrast of band image can be acceptable. We cannot say ONLY UV can be used for EtBr.

[JackBean]

the question is, whether will you get emission in VIS, if will you excite in 500 nm, what I highly doubt about... Nonetheless, the maximum of emission is ~600nm, what makes difference only 100 nm and I don't know, how great would you see the yeallow (green in your case) bands on blue ligth...

[swing0916]

If you highly doubt about excitation at 500 nm and emission at 600 nm with a filter to cut 500 nm background to see the bands, you can simply check the mechanism of Sybr dyes. The difference between excitation and emission wavelength of SyBrSafe is even smaller. So it is possible for EtBr to excite with storng 500 nm light and observe the emission of 600 nm with an amber filter to cut the 500 nm background.

[JackBean]

no, I'm saying, that I doubt, whether will it excite (and especially how much), if you excite it with 500 nm

[swing0916]

It is hard to say. From the spectrum of EtBr, it shows the response of 302 nm is approximately 5 times higher than that of 500 nm. For consideration of intensity of lights, UV lamptube is with diverse light but LED is with a more intense and focusing light. It means the convergence of light cone angle is smaller for LEDs. LED's light flux is much higher than UV lamps. It is also hard to measure the luminance with a fair condition. The UV luminance meter is with a sensor compatible for UV and blue light needs the luminance meter with sensor suitable for visible light. So, I think if we want to judge the feasibility of 500 nm, just consider the contrast of bands and sensitivity of DNA gel. If the sensitivity is acceptable, it is not needed to use UV. The diffuculties of current LED transilluminators are, first, their LED intensity is not strong. Second, their amber filter is not optimized to cut the blue background.

[swing0916]

Blue light can excite EtBr absolutely. Many people knows. All the issues are ONLY about contrast.