Chromatography Equipment

Chromatography is the broad term for laboratory techniques designed for the separation or analysis of complex mixtures. The types of chromatography often used in biological applications include liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography (GC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In liquid chromatography, analytes is dissolved in a fluid called the mobile phase, which carries it through a structure holding another material called the stationary phase. Different rates of migration cause the various constituents of the mixture to travel at different speeds, causing them to separate. Chromatography is used in many research and clinical labs in analytical applications such as isolating new compounds, analyzing differences between compounds, and identifying proteins.

What equipment are used in chromatography?

• Chromatography systems - These are workhorse instruments that generally contain all major components needed to perform a given type of chromatography. For example, HPLC systems contain the necessary pumps, tubing, and detectors enclosed in one standalone device.
• Columns and media - In column chromatography, stationary media (often in a slurry of beads and resins) must be packed inside columns. Media and pre-packed columns utilizing different separation chemistry modes are available.
• Solvents - In liquid chromatography, solvents serve as the mobile phase. These reagents serve to extract, dissolve, and move sample analytes without permanently changing their chemical structure.
• Software - Specialized software can help researchers analyze complex chromatography data. Available software includes those packaged with instruments, as well as individual application-specific programs, such as for protein characterization, 2D-LC, and LC-MS.
• Other equipment - Individual chromatography components can also include pumps, injectors, detectors, fraction collectors, and autosamplers.

Considerations for choosing chromatography equipment:

As chromatography is a very specialized application, it is important to consider the nature of the sample when purchasing equipment. Important sample characteristics include level of purity, chemical environment, and analyte sizes, charge, and affinities. The current platform being used and its compatibility with other components, and the space available in the laboratory are other factors to consider when selecting instruments. Chromatography is often the first step in an assay; downstream applications depend on the purity and configuration of its product.