Abstract: Disclosed is a spectrofluorimetrically detectable luminescent composition consisting essentially of at least one energy transfer acceptor lanthanide(III) complex having an emission spectrum maximum in the range from 300 to 2000 nanometers and a luminescence-enhancing amount of at least one energy transfer donor selected from the group consisting of a fluorophore, a lumiphore, an organic compound, a salt of an organic ion, a metal ion, a metal ion complex, or a combination thereof. Such energy transfer donor enhances the luminescence of at least one energy transfer acceptor lanthanide(III) complex, with the conditions that the emission spectrum of any energy transfer donor differs from that of its energy transfer acceptor lanthanide(III) complex; and such energy transfer donor can be dissolved to form a unitary solution in a solvent having an evaporation rate at least as great as that of water.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the automated preparation of treated monolayers of sample material, comprising: a centrifuge having a rotor (12) carrying removable chamber blocks (14); sample and reagent dispensers (26) and control systems (20). First, centrifugal force sediments sample material discretely to form a monolayer onto a receiving surface member (32) on one of the chamber blocks (14), while the same centrifugal force opens a valve (48) in the chamber block (14) to drain sample material. Then, centrifugal force delivers sequentially into discrete chamber blocks (14) discrete treating agents, during which time the sampler material monolayer is held in place on the receiving surface member (32) by centrifugal force. Then, each chamber block (14) is drained centrifugally through its already opened valve (48). Each treated sampler material is confined to an individual chamber block (14). Batch and random access delivery of treating agents can be employed.