This practice permits an analyst to compare the general performance of his instrument, as he is using it in a specific spectrophotometric method, with the performance of instruments used in developing the method.

1.1 This practice covers the description of requirements of spectrophotometric performance especially for ASTM methods, and the testing of the adequacy of available equipment for a specific method. The tests give a measurement of some of the important parameters controlling results obtained in spectrophotometric methods, but it is specifically not to be concluded that all the factors in instrument performance are measured.

1.1.1 This practice is not to be used (1) as a rigorous test of performance of instrumentation, or (2) to intercompare the quantitative performance of instruments of different design.

1.1.2 This practice is primarily directed to dispersive spectrophotometers used for transmittance measurements rather than instruments designed for diffuse transmission and diffuse reflection.