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We live in a highly globalized community where goods and services move across the world with a click of a button. With product development that spans continents, the demand for synchronization and compatibility are in high demand. Paints and coatings add the finishing touch to many of these products and are necessary to preserve and protect, as well as to create visual appeal. In order to guarantee a perfect match, pigment color mixing depends on instrumental analysis to ensure colors are consistent no matter where they are produced and manufactured. Spectrophotometers use innovative technology to quantify color and develop a system that warrants repeatable compatibility. Color instrumentation is the key to quality in paint and coating development.

Instrumental analysis of additive and subtractive color mixing takes the guesswork out of color matching. Understanding the principles of pigment theory is the first step to developing a repeatable quality product. Image Source: Flickr user Rhian vK

When you’re running a University biology department, it’s vital to keep your labs well-stocked with the best possible equipment. In a competitive field, the advantage of having quality equipment can not only attract the top talent in the field, it can allow your students and researchers to do more advanced research and experiments with the greatest possible degree of consistency and accuracy. The 2° Standard Observer Spectrophotometer is an indispensable lab tool for it’s sharp field of focus and accurate color measurement for small samples.

The 2° Standard Observer Spectrophotometer is an indispensable tool for measuring color in both education and professional biology labs.
Image Source: Flickr user U.S. Army RDECOM

Spectrophotometric analysis is playing a critical role in the development of new plasticizers as manufacturers move away from phthalates.
Image Source: Flickr user Paula Whidden

Plasticizers are some of the most widely used chemicals in existence, giving shape, function, and durability to countless objects that surround us every day of our lives. From garden hoses to power cords, soft plastic toys to IV bags, these remarkable compounds enhance our lives in immeasurable ways. However, growing concern regarding the health impact of phthalates, the most prevalent plasticizers in use today, is creating a sea change in the chemical industry as manufacturers seek to design safer plasticizer alternatives to satisfy emerging government regulations and consumer demand. Spectrophotometric instrumentation is playing a central role in the development of this new generation of plasticizers, giving researchers and manufacturers the precise data needed to tailor formulations for optimal performance.

Apple moved away from phthalate plasticizers in their power cords and earbuds in response to health concerns. Image Source: Unsplash user Galymzhan Abdugalimov

Human beings need the sun to survive, but because the human skin is sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, we are continually looking for ways to protect ourselves from the harmful effects of these rays. The quest for sun protection has taken precedence in manufacturing, and lotions, clothing and detergents all utilize UV analysis to measure the protective qualities of these products. Spectrophotometers can quantify the amount of sun protection these products provide, ensuring that skin stays protected and compliance with regulatory standards is attained.

The sun is imperative to human survival, but we must protect our skin from the damaging UV radiation that it emits. Image Source: Flickr user Jerry Meaden

Color plays a significant role in communicating food quality. Consumers can easily identify an underbaked or overbaked cookie by its abnormal color and texture, knowing these elements will impact its taste. On the other hand, individuals will associate a perfectly caramelized cookie with a high-quality product that likely tastes great. 

How a cookie looks directly impacts consumer buying habits. You can use a color spectrophotometer to measure the color of your cookie samples to ensure they project a consistent and desirable appearance.

Challenges of Measuring Cookie Color

While measuring cookie color is vital for producing a high-quality product, this process can pose several challenges to manufacturers:

• Irregular texture: Cookies have many inconsistent characteristics that make color analysis more difficult, such as their varying shapes, sizes, and highly textured surfaces. To the naked eye, it's nearly impossible to make an accurate color determination.
• Time commitment: Large-scale cookie manufacturers must analyze thousands of cookies each year. Measuring the color of cookie samples one at a time can be extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive.
• Equipment wear and tear: Normal wear and tear can impact your color measurement device's performance, leading to inaccurate measurements. 

To ensure repeated sales and influence new buyers, cosmetics’ quality and consistency must go hand in hand. Image Source: Flickr user wencor teo (CC BY 2.0)

For years, I’ve used the same brand of cosmetics. It took trial and error to find the right combination for my complexion and skin tone. So when my favorite lipstick was recently discontinued, I drove from drugstore to drugstore to stock up.

Thankfully, cosmetic manufacturers understand the importance of consistency and color matching and work hard to keep consumers happy. Measuring cosmetic color pigments is essential for creating quality formulations that consumers can depend upon—and spectrophotometric technology not only simplifies this process but ensures replicable quality every time.

There was something different about my employee, James. It was the same the next day, and the next. He asked me for a raise twice in a month and both times I said yes. I just couldn’t say no to that suave, collected, California tan. It wasn’t until months later, in the Spring, when he bested me three for five at my private tennis club, that I discovered his secret. I’d run out of sunscreen, and I asked to borrow his. He wouldn’t let me. I pressed, but he resisted. Why the mystery, I wondered. Finally, when he left for a bathroom break, I dug into his bag and took a look. He was using tinted sunscreen! He’d been using it this whole time! He wasn’t tan at all—it was all cosmetic! I slathered some on my face and caught my reflection in a pane of glass. I looked like Zeus. I felt like Apollo. “Alright,” I said when he got back. “You ready for another game?”

Tinted sunscreen can protect from UV rays while adding color to a person’s complexion. Image credit: Flickr user Joe Shlabotnik (CC BY 2.0)