Developments in refractometer technology

A refractometer is an optical instrument that is used to determine the refractive index of a substance. This often refers to some physical property of a substance that is directly related to its refractive index. Certain types of refractometers can be used for measuring gases, liquids such as oils or water-based, and even transparent or translucent solids such as gemstones. A refractometer can be used to determine the identity of an unknown substance based on its refractive index, to assess the purity of a particular substance, or to determine the concentration of one substance dissolved in another. Most commonly, refractometers are used for measuring fluid concentrations such as the sugar content (Brix level, for example in carbonated beverages, fruits, juices, honey and or vegetables, etc), blood protein concentration, salinity and specific gravity of urine. Refractometers are also used for measuring fluid concentrations for commercial liquids such as antifreeze, cutting fluid, and industrial fluids. It is also commonly used to: • Help identify or confirm the identity of a sample by comparing its refractive index to known values. • Assess the purity of a sample by comparing its refractive index to the value for the pure substance. • Determine the concentration of a solute in a solution by comparing the solution's refractive index to a standard curve.

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