Molecular dyes outside of the sRGB colour gamut present a challenge for digital chemistry

A new study has shown that the bright and saturated colours produced by some dye molecules can fall outside of the 8-bit sRGB colour space used by digital cameras, potentially leading to misinterpretations in automated analyses.

To capture the wealth of information available by watching a reaction, scientists are increasingly using smartphones and digital cameras in their labs. That includes Marc Reid’s group at the University of Strathclyde, UK, which is developing video-analysis software to convert everyday visual observations into quantitative kinetic data. ‘Our research team is trying to get away from the frustration of seeing [chemical phenomena] but not being able to turn them into numbers,’ explains Reid. ‘Instead of using eyes, we use the next thing – cameras. You can take these “digital eyes” and turn curiosities into quantifiable measurements.’