Patent ID: 7511818

Claim:
A method for measuring optical absorbency of samples, comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining one or more samples; (b) individually placing each sample into a separate reaction container, wherein each reaction container has two windows frontally limiting the chamber; (c) passing a luminous signal through the sample and the window and into a sample optical fiber corresponding to each container; (d) directing the sample optical fibers through a scanning head that supports and positions the fibers; wherein the scanning head defines a matrix of lines and columns, wherein the point of arrival of each sample optical fiber does not coincide with the point of arrival of any other sample optical fiber in line or column, and the distance between the sample optical fibers is maximized; (e) using a single sensor to simultaneously measure optical intensities of the luminous signals emitted from each sample optical fiber exiting the scanning head; and (f) calculating optical absorbency of each sample using the measured intensities.