Controlling interdetector band broadening

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9658194-B2
Application number	US-201314378515-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2013
Priority date	Feb 14, 2012
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for controlling interdetector band broadening during the analysis of a sample injected into a chromatography system. A column flow is diluted with a dilution flow after the sample exits the chromatography system, and the diluted sample is analyzed by one or a combination of analysis instruments such as a light scattering detector, refractive index detector, an ultraviolet absorption detector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method to minimize interdetector band broadening and narrow peak breadth of a chromatographic elution of a sample, the method consisting essentially of the steps of
A. providing a column flow;
B. providing a dilution flow;
C. introducing an unfractionated sample into said column flow;
D. passing said column flow borne unfractionated sample through a fractionation means, causing thereby a fractionated sample to elute from said fractionation means;
E. mixing said column flow eluting from said fractionation means with said dilution flow, creating, thereby, a diluted, fractionated sample;
F. passing, by interconnecting, tubing said diluted, fractionated sample to one or more analysis instruments connected in series by tubing; and
G. analyzing said diluted, fractionated sample with said one or more analysis instruments.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said column flow comprises a first solvent.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said dilution flow comprises a second solvent.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said first solvent and said second solvent are the same.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein said first solvent and said second solvent are different.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one analysis instrument comprises an instrument selected from the group consisting of a light scattering detector, a refractive index detector, an ultraviolet absorption detector, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said fractionation means is configured to perform high performance liquid chromatography.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said fractionation means performs chromatography techniques selected from the group consisting of ion exchange chromatography, size exclusion chromatography, affinity chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, and combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said column flow is diluted by said dilution flow in a ratio ranging from 1:1 (1 part column flow to 1 part dilution flow 1) to 1:10 (1 part column flow to 10 parts dilution flow 1).

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of filtering said diluted, fractionated sample prior to analysis by said one or more analysis instruments.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of filtering said unfractionated sample bearing column flow prior to said passage through said separation means.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of filtering said dilution flow prior to mixing with said column flow.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said column flow and said dilution flow are mixed at a T-union.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said mixing is continued in a downstream filter prior to analysis by said one or more analysis instruments.

Assignees

• Wyatt Tech Corp

Inventors

• Trainoff Steven P

Classifications

• G01N21/4133 Primary

  Refractometers, e.g. differential · CPC title

• G01N21/49

  within a body or fluid · CPC title

• G01N30/84

  Preparation of the fraction to be distributed · CPC title

• G01N2030/8441

  to modify physical properties · CPC title

• G01N30/02 Primary

  Column chromatography · CPC title