The Waters ACQUITY UPLC Tunable UV Detector, PN 186015028, is a dual-channel tunable UV/Visible detector designed specifically for the original ACQUITY UPLC platform. It combines low-noise electronics, acquisition rates up to 80 Hz, and proprietary light-guiding flow-cell technology to minimize extra-column dispersion while maintaining high optical throughput and sensitivity.
The detector is optimized for fast UPLC separations with very narrow chromatographic peaks and allows two selected wavelengths to be monitored simultaneously. It is suitable for routine quantitation and low-level impurity analysis and can be installed inline with a mass spectrometer without splitting the chromatographic flow.
Light-Guiding Flow Cell Technology
The ACQUITY TUV uses a proprietary light-guiding flow cell incorporating internally reflective Teflon AF.
The design provides:
- high optical throughput,
- very low cell volume,
- reduced chromatographic band broadening,
- high signal-to-noise performance,
- preservation of UPLC separation efficiency.
High-Speed Data Acquisition
The detector supports acquisition rates up to 80 Hz, enabling accurate detection and integration of very narrow UPLC peaks.
Sensitivity and Linearity
- Baseline noise: 6 × 10⁻⁶ AU
- Drift: ≤5.0 × 10⁻⁴ AU/hour/°C
- Linearity: deviation at 2.5 AU ≤5%
- Linear dynamic range: greater than 3.5 orders of magnitude
This supports simultaneous quantitation of major components and low-level impurities.
Optical System
- Light source: prealigned deuterium lamp
- Optical bandwidth: 5 nm
- Wavelength range: 190–700 nm
- Wavelength accuracy: ±1 nm
- Wavelength verification: patented erbium filter
- Dual-channel detection
Analytical Flow Cell
With the standard analytical flow cell:
- Path length: 10 mm
- Cell volume: 500 nL
- Dispersion volume: ≤0.8 µL
- Pressure limit: 1000 psi
- Wetted materials:
- 316 stainless steel
- fused silica
- Teflon AF
- PEEK.
Compatible Flow Cell Options
- Analytical: 500 nL / 10 mm
- High Sensitivity: 2400 nL / 25 mm
- Stainless Steel: 1.5 µL / 5 mm
- Titanium: 1.5 µL / 5 mm
- Low Dispersion Analytical: 500 nL / 10 mm
- Low Dispersion Microbore: 250 nL / 10 mm
- Microscale: 100 nL / 10 mm
LC-MS Integration
The low-dispersion ACQUITY UPLC fluidic architecture allows the TUV detector to be positioned inline with a mass spectrometer without requiring flow splitting.
This enables UV and MS information to be collected within the same chromatographic workflow.
Software
The detector can be controlled through:
- Waters Empower™
- Waters MassLynx™
The instrument console supports method setup, status monitoring, diagnostics, and detector control.
Technical Specifications
- Type: Dual-channel tunable UV/Vis detector
- Platform: ACQUITY UPLC
- Wavelength Range: 190–700 nm
- Wavelength Accuracy: ±1 nm
- Optical Bandwidth: 5 nm
- Maximum Sampling Rate: 80 points/s
- Baseline Noise: 6 × 10⁻⁶ AU
- Drift: ≤5.0 × 10⁻⁴ AU/hour/°C
- Linearity: ≤5% deviation at 2.5 AU
- Light Source: Deuterium lamp
- Leak Detection: Yes
- Software: Empower / MassLynx
- Dimensions (W × H × D): 34.3 × 19.3 × 60.9 cm
- Weight: 12.0 kg
- Operating Temperature: 4–40 °C
- Operating Humidity: 20–80%, non-condensing
- Audible Noise: ≤58 dBA
- Power Requirements: 100–240 VAC
- Line Frequency: 50–60 Hz
- Power Consumption: 185 VA nominal
- Inputs: 1 inject-start input
- Outputs: 1 event + 1 analog output.
