title: An apparatus for ultraviolet B irradiation of small volumes of biological fluid under controlled oxygen tension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The design, construction, and calibration of a unique apparatus for ultraviolet (UV) B irradiation of small volumes of biological fluid under temperature-controlled open atmospheric or closed cell conditions of defined Po2 is described.
  
  
  METHODS
  The apparatus consists of a custom designed UV transmissible quartz silica 3 port spectrophotometric cuvette coupled to a deuterium UV B source by UV transmissible fiber optics. Fluid movement, temperature regulation, dosimetry, and miniaturized biosensors for oxygen, pH, and temperature are described along with a preliminary experiment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The apparatus produces a known photochemical effect using an endogenous aqueous humor UV B photosensitizer-L tryptophan. UV B radiation is contained, thus protecting laboratory personnel. The system provides a continuous spectral UV B dose of 30 mJ/cm2/hr, which is equivalent to approximately 5.5 UV sunlight hours reaching an aliquot of mammalian aqueous humor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This biophysical apparatus can be used to investigate antioxidant protective systems in ocular fluid (aqueous/vitreous humors and tears), and is also applicable to evaluating the interaction of radiation with ocular and nonocular tissue cell homogenate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, North Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Richer
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gogia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004867:Equipment Design; D010100:Oxygen / Q000502:physiology*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet / Q000295:instrumentation; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010100:Oxygen