Apparatus and method for analyzing samples

An apparatus and method employing a plurality of light emitting devices which each can get light through a respective optical fiber toward a respective fluid sample of a plurality of fluid samples 108 in a time-staggered manner. Light is generated in each of the samples at different times consistent with the times at which light is irradiate onto the sample. A single detector (107) is used to detect the lights emitted from the plurality of samples at these different times. A plurality of bifurcated optical cable are coupled to the light emitting devices and single light detecting device, and the integrated end of each bifurcated cable acts as the light emitting port and light detecting port.