GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 311

A FLUORIMETER FOR SOLUTIONS

This report concerns work done or 

behalf of the U. 8. Atomic Energy 

Commission and is published with 

tne permission ot the
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Douglas McKay, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

W. E. Wrather, Director

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 311

A FLUORIMETER FOR SOLUTIONS

By Mary H. Fletcher and E. Ray Warner

This report concerns work done on 

behalf of the U. 8. Atomic Energy 

Commission and is published with 

the permission of the Commission.

Washington, D. C., 1953

Free on application to the Geological Survey, Washington 25, D. C.
A FLUORIMETER FOR SOLUTIONS

By Mary H. Pletcher and E. Ray Warner

CONTENTS 

Page

Abstract ...................

Description of the instrument,

Acknowledgment

Page 

1

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

Figure 1. Fluorimeter for solutions cover removed .................................................. . 2

2. Plan and section views of fluorimeter for solutions .......................................... . 3

3 Details of cell compartment parts shown in figure 1 ....................... .-r................. 4

4. Details of parts shown in figure 1 .................. . ...................................... . 5

5. Details of parts shown in figures 1 and 2 ..................................................... 6

6. Details of parts shown in figures 1 and 2 .................................................... 7

7. Details of parts shown in figure 1 ........................................................... 8

8. Details of parts shown in figure 1 ........................................................... 9

ABSTRACT

A description of and complete drawings for the construction of a fluorimeter for the measurement of fluorescence of solutions are given. The instrument is sturdy and 

versatile. It may be used with various phototubes and measuring devices. It is constructed so that phototubes and 

filters may be changed readily. Sensitivity is controlled 

easily over a. wide range by limiting the size of either the 

ultraviolet or fluorescent light beam with standard apertures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INSTRUMENT

Several years ago it became apparent in the Trace 

Elements laboratory of the Geological Survey that fluorimetric methods of analysis would greatly expedite the 

determination of aluminum and beryllium, and would 

probably be of great help in other determinations as well. 

Thefluorimetric attachment for the Beckman spectrophotometer, 1 designed at the U. S. Bureau of Mines, 

could have been used for the measurements required in 

these analyses. However, it was desirable to have a 

completely self-contained instrument with which any of 

various suitable phototubes and measuring devices could 

be used. Such an instrument would give greater flexibility, and allow for the substitution of measuring units 

much less expensive than the Beckman instrument.

By the addition of a shutter and a suitable coupling 

device for attaching the phototube housing, the Bureau of 

Mines' fluorimetric attachment could be converted to a. 

self-contained instrument. Therefore, these changes 

were incorporated into the fluorimeter described here. 

The coupling screw was threaded to fit the search unit 

of the Photovolt electronic photometer (model 512); when 

other phototubes are used they are provided with housings 

having the same thread as the Phatovolt search units.

1 Fletcher, Mary H., White, Charles E., and Sheftel, Milton S., 1946, 

Fluorometric attachment for the Beckman spectrophotometer; Ind. and Eng. 

Chemistry, Anal. Ed. 18, p. 204.

The new instrument is, in general, very much like the 

Bureau of Mines instrument. The shape and size of the 

lamp housings and cell compartments of both instruments 

are almost identical, although the ventilating louvers in 

the lamp housing of the new instrument are of a simpler 

design. Features of the new fluorimeter that do not appear 

in the Bureau of Mines instrument are two built-in rotary 

selector discs, that have various-sized apertures, which 

are between the sa.mple cell and the phototube. This arrangement gives an easy a.nd immediate sensitivity control 

by regulating the amount of fluorescent light reaching the 

phototube. Additional control of the sensitivity may be 

obtained by the use of standard diaphragms that are placed 

in the filter holders in the path of either the ultraviolet or 

fluorescent light. A set of these diaphragms with graduated apertures is provided with the instrument.

The accessory parts of the new fluorimeter a.re the 

same as those used in the earlier one. A General Electric BH-4 lamp is used as the excitation source. The lamp 

is operated from a Sola constant wattage transformer 

no. 301883, designed for the operation of H-4 lamps, and 

its temperature is controlled by ventilation with a Bon-Air 

darkroom ventilator. The filter holders accommodate 2- by 

2-inch filters that maybe readily interchanged as desired.

At present we are using a. Photovolt electronic photometer (model 512) as the measuring unit, and find that its 

sensitivity is equal to or slightly better than that obtained 

when aBechman spectrophotometer is used as the measuring unit.

Complete drawings for the construction of this 

fluorimeter appear in figures 1 to 8.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We are indebted to John V. Waitowitz, U. S. Geological Survey, who prepared the shop drawings for the 

construction of the instrument.

2 Fletcher and others, 1946, op. cit.
G. E. lamp B. H. 4

Phototube housing 

unit

NO.

18

17

16

15

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

19

NAME

Button hd. s

Button hd. s

Hdlss. set s

Pil. hd. scr

Button hd. s

Button hd. s

Flat hd. scr.

Lamp-housing floor

Cord flange

Vent fcir fan

Lamp -housing side plate

End plate

Unit attach flange

Shutter toggle

Direction plate

Back plate

Air -vent cover

Lamp-housing side plate

Dial selector

Rib

Side plate (It)

Side plate (rt)

Inside cover plate

Cell comp. cover

Front plate

Cell compartment floor

MAT.

Brass

Brass

Brass

Brass

Brass

Brass

Brass

Plastic

QUA

1

5

1

2

13

3

45

1

Figure 1. Fluorimeter for solutions cover removed.
1/16 drill 3/16 deep and 1/32 

*~ drill thru 1 hole

!Kl » _ Tl*» I ~ 

t*1| J MS Tap 18

Drill and co-bore for f5.40 

flat hd. scr. 8 holes

TT*

Section A-A 

RIGHT SIDE PLATE FOR CELL COMPARMENT 1 REQ'D

ffl

* Scr. slot

Drill and co-bore for 

No. 5-40 flat hd. scr. 

5 holes

INSIDE COVER PLATE FOR CELL COMPARTMENT 

0 1/211 

NAME

Side plate (It)

Side plate (rt)

Shaft scr.

Alu

SHAFT SCR. 1 REQ'D 

TWICE SCALE SIZE

LEFT SIDE PLATE FOR CELL COMPARTMENT 1 REQ'D 

HALF SCALE SIZE

Figure 3. Details of cell compartment parts shown in figure 1.
Drill and co-bore for' 

#5. 40 flat hd. scr, 

11 holes

Drill and co-bore 

for *5. 40 flat hd. I

LEFT SIDE PLATE FOR LAMP-HOUSING 

END PLATE FOR LAMP-HOUSING 1 REQ'D

0 1/2111/

Tap #6. 32 thd 

spot at assembly 

2 holes

LAMP-HOUSING FLOOR 1 REQ'D 

HALF SCALE SIZE Drill and co-bore 

for *5.40 flat hd. 

9 holes

FRONT PLATE 1 REQ'D

Figure 4. Details of parts shown in figure 1.
Figure 5. Details of parts shown in figures 1 and 2.
-it) as

t*l:-*-i -|

-II

Plan

FILTER CLIP FOR PRIMARY FILTER ? REQ'D 

>~N BEND TO SHAPE

_______ t 

2ft 

U 1 ,1/32 saw cut inJ 

1 e / / \ \ ° 1

I

*~ i*

T 1

-i<u

I

i_S"jT

\ *

4

""a"*

r-ND

t

No. 37 drill (. 104 D.) 

6 holes

No. 37 drill (. 10

2 holes

1/16 saw cut

\

(2.7) CLIP FOR SECONDARY FILTER 2 REQ'D 

V-X BEND TO SHAPE

(21) PACKET CLIP FOR EXTRA DIAPHRAGMS 1 REQ'D 

^~S BEND TO SHAPE

No. 30 drill (.128 D.) 

/ spot at assembly

L-dbr1*.

Drill and co-sink 

for #3. 48 fil, hd. 

scr. 2 holes

-Ifi

SUPPORT FOR SAMPLE CELL 1 REQ'D

Tap #5. 40 thd. 5/32 deep 

2 holes

j

..A

^-r

» Tap *3. 4

Tap *5. 40 thd. 1/4 deep spot fr

spot at assembly 6 holes

CELL COMPARTMENT SUB-FLOOR 1 

-A, _____

. JjL_

 H

_ J _

k-

 p

FILTER FRONT FOR END PLATE ^^ 1/M deep 

1 REQ'D ___ -T- aroui,d rim 

S31

SIDE RIB 1 REQ'D

1/2 11/2 

r 

Tap 1 5/16 - 24 thd.

Cell compartment

Filter clip

Support for sample

Unit attach flange

Spr. br

ATTACH FLANGE 1 REQ'D

Figure 6. Details of parts shown in figures 1 and 2.
Drill an

#5. 40 

10 hol

BACK PLATE FOR LAMP -HOUSIN

0 1/211 1/

NAME

Cell comp. floor 

Right side plate 

Direction plate 

Back plate____

Figure 7. Details of parts shown in figure 1.
AIR-VENT COVER FOR LAMP-HOUSIN

LIGHT SHIELD FOR LAMP-HOUSING 1 REQ'D

No. 38 drill (. 101 dia)

DET.

21-1

21-2

21-3

21-4

21-5

21

REQ'D.

1

1

1

1

1

1

DIM. A

3/8 D.

1/2 D.

' 3/4 D.

ID.

11/4D.

1 1/2 D

NO.

21

16

9-B

9 -A

9

2

NAME

Extra diaphragms

Vent for fan

Spacer

Light shield

Air -vent cover

Cell comp. cover

MA

Bra

Alu

Alu

Alu

Alu

Alu

SPACER 5 REQ'D f2l DIAPHRAGMS WITH STANDARD APERTURES 6 REQ'D 

BEND TO SHAPE

Figure 8. Details of parts shown in figure 1.