Dynamic Light Scattering Protocol

Protocol for DynaPro99 Molecular Size Instrument (Dynamic Light Scattering)

1 — Turn on the measurement unit, then turn on the power unit, let it warm up for several minutes. Start the Dynamics program on the computer (icon on desktop).

2 — Clean the cuvettes before and after use with water and ethanol; dry the cell using "air-it." (It is a good idea to fill a cuvette with water and check for light scattering before testing your sample. If scattering is present, then the cuvette is not clean).

3 — Filter your sample whenever possible before applying it to the filter-kit. Unscrew to open the microfilter, add a 0.2um filter membrane in between the 2 halves, and screw the microfilter tight. Rinse the microfilter with water to make sure there is no leakage.

4 — To get your sample into the syringe, filter it through the microfilter. Remember there will be about 40ul deal volume inside the filter.

5 — Inject the sample into the cuvette, but do not over fill. Put the cuvette frosty side left into the microsampler, close the lid. Wait for 10 or 20 mins.

6 — On the computer program, go to .tools. menu for experiment settings and optics configuration, based on what your experiment runs, you can adjust these parameters for best performance later.

7 — Push start in the count rate window, monitor count rate, wait until it becomes stable, then stop it.

8 — Push start in the measurement window, collect at least 10 stable data points. Go to .analysis. menu for data collection. Save/print your data.

9 — Turn off the machine, log your time of operation in the logbook.