page_title: Clifton nanolitre osmometer
section_title: Uses for the Clifton nanolitre osmometer
hierarchical_section_title: Clifton nanolitre osmometer / Uses for the Clifton nanolitre osmometer
caption_attribution_description: English: A scientist using the Clifton nanolitre osmometer. She is able to control the temperature of the nanoliter stage with the dial under her right hand. A live image of the sample holder (video taken through the microscope) can be seen on the monitor at left. Photo by Paul A. Cziko.
context_page_description: A Clifton nanolitre osmometer is a device that allows the determination of the melting and freezing point of an aqueous solution using a sample size of only nanolitres. The device consists of a controller box, a cooling stage, and a sample holder. Additionally, various micrometer syringes, immersion oils and microscopes are required for its use.
  Cooling of the stage is achieved with the use of Peltier devices inside the cooling stage.
  The Clifton nanolitre osmometer is especially well suited for determining the antifreeze activity or thermal hysteresis of a solution, which is a difference in the melting and freezing point of a solution. This phenomenon arises when biological antifreeze proteins are present in a solution. Solutions that do not contain antifreeze proteins generally have identical freezing and melting points.
context_section_description: Determination of the osmolarity (saltiness) of very small volumes of aqueous solutions
  Tears
  Biological samples
  Plant fluids
  Determination of the antifreeze activity or thermal hysteresis in a solution.
  Fluids from polar fishes.
  Fluids from overwintering insects.
  Fluids from cold-hardy plants
  Any fluid that contains antifreeze proteins
caption: A scientist using the Clifton
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