Fluorescence spectroscopy offers several advantages including:
Higher Sensitivity – It is about 1,000 times more sensitive than other spectroscopy techniques and can detect the smallest traces of a substance.
Higher Specificity – It selectively analyzes only the compound of interest, which absorbs the excitation light and emits light at a specific wavelength.
Provides quantitative information – The fluorescence signal is proportional to the concentration of the emitting substances in the sample.
Provides qualitative information – Emission spectra provide an insight into the electronic ground state, while excitation spectra provide an insight into the electronic excited state.
Higher versatility – Fluorescence instruments can be used to obtain several types of fluorescence measurements, as well as chemiluminescence, bioluminescence, and phosphorescence measurements.
Reduced background signal – The emitted light is read at a 90-degree angle to the exciting light, which reduces background light.
Rapidity – Fluorescence experiments can be conducted quickly
Less destructive – After a fluorescence experiment, the sample remains largely intact. This is unlike some other spectroscopic techniques such as mass spectrometry.