Interpreting A260/A230 ratios
A260/A230 is often used to screen for contaminants that absorb near 230 nm.
Clean nucleic acid samples are often near 2.0 to 2.2, but extraction chemistry and instrument behavior can affect interpretation.
Calculator
A260/A230 Purity Calculator
Result
A260/A230: 2.118
This is near a common clean nucleic acid range, but interpretation remains context-dependent.
Practical use
Use this calculator as a planning aid for molecular biology, biochemistry, protein science, cloning, PCR, and routine bench preparation workflows.
Results should be interpreted alongside your protocol, instrument settings, reagent quality, and laboratory safety requirements.
How to cite this tool
Citation
If this calculator supports your research, you may cite it as a web-based tool.
Abdulfattah, M. A. A260/A230 Purity Calculator. Mustafa A Abdulfattah Academic Website. Available at: https://www.mustafaabdulfattah.com/tools/a260-a230-purity-calculator. Accessed today.
BibTeX
@misc{abdulfattah_a260_a230_purity_calculator_2026,
author = {Abdulfattah, Mustafa A.},
title = {A260/A230 Purity Calculator},
year = {2026},
url = {https://www.mustafaabdulfattah.com/tools/a260-a230-purity-calculator},
note = {Accessed today}
}FAQ
A260/A230 Purity Calculator questions
What is a typical A260/A230 ratio?↑
Clean nucleic acids are often around 2.0 to 2.2, but this depends on sample and method.
What can a low A260/A230 ratio suggest?↑
Low values may suggest salts, phenol, guanidine, carbohydrates, or other contaminants.
Can A260/A230 replace gel or Bioanalyzer checks?↑
No. It is a quick purity indicator, not a full integrity or quality assessment.
Should I blank carefully?↑
Yes. Buffer mismatch can affect absorbance ratios and interpretation.