0.37 mL Microplates, Flat Bottom, PS, Natural — 290-8120-0AF | 10/Box | Caplugs® Evergreen

96-Well UV-Transparent Flat Bottom Microplates, 0.37 mL Well Volume, Acrylic (PMMA), Natural — 290-8120-0AF | 10/Box (100/Case)

Technical Narrative

The Caplugs® Evergreen is a 96-well flat-bottom Acrylic (PMMA — Polymethylmethacrylate) microplate — the UV-transparent alternative to standard PS plates for applications requiring direct plate-format absorbance reads at 260 nm (nucleic acids), 280 nm (protein), and near-UV wavelengths that Polystyrene blocks. Standard PS microplates are opaque to UV light below approximately 320 nm — making them incompatible with direct DNA/RNA quantification at 260 nm, protein reads at 280 nm, or near-UV fluorescent dye excitation (DAPI, Hoechst, Indo-1) without a UV-transparent plate. The provides full UV-VIS transmission from 300–900 nm in a standard SBS 96-well flat-bottom format, converting any UV-capable plate reader into a high-throughput UV spectrophotometer.

The flat bottom maintains consistent path length across the 0.37 mL well volume for accurate Beer-Lambert absorbance quantification — equivalent to the flat-bottom PS plate but with the UV transmission window extended to 260–280 nm. PMMA's optical clarity provides equivalent or superior transmission to quartz cuvettes for most routine UV assay wavelengths, and its high refractive index maintains well-to-well optical consistency across the full 96-position plate. UV sterilization at 254 nm is compatible with PMMA — it can be UV-decontaminated without the material degradation that 254 nm exposure causes in PS plates.

At $206.27 per Box of 10 — $2.0627 per plate — the delivers plate-format UV spectrophotometry at a per-plate cost that makes high-throughput UV quantification economical for programs running 10–50+ UV assay plates per week. The acrylic plate replaces batch cuvette runs for DNA/RNA concentration screening, reducing processing time by 10–100× per batch versus individual cuvette reads.

Technical Specifications — Caplugs® Evergreen

UV-Transparent Workflow Compatibility — Acrylic (PMMA)

Acrylic (PMMA) transmits UV wavelengths that standard PS blocks — enabling plate-format UV absorbance and near-UV fluorescence assays that require cuvette format with PS plates:

Acrylic is sensitive to acetone and most chlorinated solvents — avoid contact. For standard aqueous assays where UV transparency is not required, PS plates (290-8115-01F) are the cost-effective choice. Use acrylic specifically when UV wavelengths below 320 nm are required.

Chemical Resistance — Acrylic (PMMA)

PMMA provides excellent aqueous compatibility and full UV-VIS optical transmission. Sensitive to acetone and chlorinated solvents. Not autoclave-compatible.

Laboratory Applications

The serves genomics and molecular biology programs performing plate-format DNA/RNA quantification at 260/280 nm; proteomics labs running direct protein UV absorbance at 280 nm; fluorescence assay programs using DAPI, Hoechst, and near-UV excited fluorescent dyes; photochemistry and photocatalysis assays requiring UV-transparent wells; drug solubility screening by UV nephelometry or absorbance; UV-based lipid and fatty acid quantification; and any assay requiring UV wavelengths that standard PS plates cannot transmit.

U.S. Manufacturing, Quality & Institutional Procurement

Every Caplugs® Evergreen lot is precision-molded at our California manufacturing facility and subject to rigorous dimensional inspection and material purity verification. We supply reference laboratories, hospital systems, biotech firms, and federal procurement offices under institutional pricing programs with blanket-order support and same-day shipping on stocked inventory. Request a sample below to validate before committing to volume.

Frequently Asked Questions — Caplugs® Evergreen

Why can't I use a standard PS plate for DNA absorbance at 260 nm?

Polystyrene (PS) is opaque to UV light below approximately 320 nm — it absorbs 260 nm and 280 nm wavelengths rather than transmitting them through the well bottom to the plate reader detector. This is why standard PS plates cannot be used for direct DNA (A260) or protein (A280) quantification by UV absorbance. The acrylic (PMMA) plate transmits 260–280 nm — enabling direct plate-format UV reads that would otherwise require individual quartz cuvette measurements.

What UV plate reader is required for the acrylic plate?

Any microplate reader with a UV light source and monochromator or UV bandpass filter at 260 nm and/or 280 nm. Compatible readers include SpectraMax M series (M2, M3, M5, M5e), Tecan Infinite M200/M1000 Pro, BioTek Synergy Neo2/H1, PHERAstar FSX with UV-capable module, and BMG CLARIOstar with UV optics. Confirm that your specific reader model has UV optics enabled — some plate reader configurations are visible-light only.

Is the acrylic plate autoclave-compatible for sterilization?

No. PMMA (acrylic) is not autoclave-compatible — it softens at autoclave temperatures (121°C). However, PMMA is compatible with UV sterilization at 254 nm, which makes it suitable for pre-use decontamination in biosafety cabinet workflows. For applications requiring sterile plates, use UV sterilization rather than autoclaving for the acrylic format.