DIY LED Photobleacher

Equipment / Materials Required

• A beaker large enough to fit your sample tube of choice.

• An adhesive-backed white LED strip. In the example we used this one from Amazon. 

• Aluminum foil.

The Build

1. Open the LED strip and apply in a spiral pattern to the beaker. If it is too difficult to apply to the inside of the beaker, you can attach them to the outside of the beaker facing outward. Once it is wrapped, cut the strip to length. 

2. Wrap the outside of the beaker in aluminum foil. 

3. When you are ready to use the photobleacher, put the sample tube inside the beaker and cover the front with aluminum foil. It's best to run the photobleacher in the fridge or in a cold room as the sample will warm up!

[Note] This type of photobleacher is indiscriminate - it will reduce all fluorescence in the sample including endogenous fluorescent reporters and dyes!