The Waters 486 Tunable Absorbance Detector is a single-channel, tunable, ultraviolet/visible (UV/VIS) detector designed for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) applications. The Waters 486 Detector can operate either as a stand-alone unit (with a chart recorder) or as part of a chromatography system with other Waters system modules. 

The Waters 486 Detector can be configured with the following Waters systems: 

• Millennium™ Chromatography Manager 

• Waters 860 Networking Computer System 

• Waters 600E Multisolvent Delivery System 

• Waters 745/745B or 746 Integrators 

Wavelength range and sensitivity 

The Waters 486 Detector provides a usable light intensity over the wavelength range 190 to 600 nanometers (nm), although its primary use is in the ultraviolet range between 190 and 380 nm. The maximum sensitivity of the instrument is 0.001 absorbance units full scale (AUFS). 

Features 

The Waters 486 Detector offers the following features: 

• Easy to use operator interface 

• Self-calibration to ensure wavelength accuracy 

• Battery backup to retain parameter settings when the detector is powered down or during power interruptions 

• A deuterium arc lamp 

• The patented Taper-Cell® flow cell design, which reduces interference caused by refractive index effects. 

Optional cells: 

•   Non-metallic 

•   Semi-prep 

•   Microbore 

• High-pressure (optimized for operation in LC/MS) Lamp shut-off to lengthen usable lamp life 

• User-selectable chart mark on IV integrator output (standard on 10 mV) 

• Wavelength scanning to determine optimal wavelength 

• Diagnostic routines to verify proper functioning 

• A modular design for easy servicing