The equipment required is a colorimeter, some cuvettes and a suitable color reagent.
The process may be automated, e.g. by the use of an AutoAnalyzer or by flow injection analysis.
Recently, colorimetric analyses developed for colorimeters have been adapted for use with plate readers to speed up analysis and reduce the waste stream.
Enzymatic analysis is always carried out in a buffer solution at a specified temperature (usually 37°C) to provide the optimum conditions for the enzymes to act.
UV methods usually measure the difference in absorbance at 340 nm wavelength between nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and its reduced form (NADH).