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Many materials are optically active, rotating the polarization of light when it passes through them. This is generally the result of the presence of one or more asymmetric centers on the molecular level, usually a carbon atom with four different substituents. The ability of a material to rotate the polarization of light is called optical rotation and can be measured using a polarimeter.
The measurement of a substance’s optical rotation by polarimetry, together with the determination of density, or specific gravity and the index of refraction, are often convenient means to assess its identity and purity. This is made possible all at once with the METTLER TOLEDO Excellence Density and Refractive Index instrumentation, complemented with a SCHMIDT + HAENSCH polarimeter. The measurements are performed with a METTLER TOLEDO autosampler that fills, drains, cleans, and dries all instruments connected to the experimental setup.
This application note discusses the combined measurement of density, refractive index, and optical rotation with the example of eucalyptus oil. The presented solution is efficient, robust, reliable, and fully automatized. When using a master-puppet configuration, all data is collected in one location. LabX™ laboratory software supports convenient data handling, data integrity, an audit trail, and compliance with CFR 21 part 11. Furthermore, individual sample specifications can be automatically checked. Tolerance programming and verification evaluation deliver documented pass/ fail results
