Chromatography Unit

A benchtop unit comprising a vacuum formed ABS plastic plinth with integral electrical console.

• Two borosilicate glass chromatography columns (250mm long and 10mm internal diameter) fitted with septum injectors and fed by a 3-channel peristaltic pump.
• Syringe and needles for sample injection.
• Fraction collector.
• Analysis using a UV optical flow cell.
• Protection devices for all electrical circuits.
• Two displays: Optical absorbance, Timer display for fraction collector.
• Sensor signals are routed to the USB port for connection to a PC.
• Comprehensive instruction manual with detailed procedures and laboratory teaching exercises.

Description:

This is consists of a bench-top unit onto which are mounted two 250mm long, 10mm diameter borosilicate glass chromatography columns. Both are equipped with adjustable end pieces to allow different bed heights to be investigated. On the top of each column are septum injectors to allow introduction of a sample onto the column surface. The columns are fed by a 3 channel peristaltic pump of an 8 roller design in order to give smooth flow. The pump has variable speed drive and a wide range of tube bores can be used thus giving a very wide flow rate range. Switching valves allow the operator to easily select the desired column for operation. A bubble trap is fitted before the inlet to the columns to prevent air from entering. The outlet from the column passes to a UV optical flow cell for on-line measurement of sample elution. Liquid exiting the flow cell can either be led to drain or collected using the fraction collector. The fraction collector, which has capacity for forty-eight 3 ml test tubes, is timer controlled. It is essential that all buffers and samples introduced to the column are filtered and degassed in order to protect the column.

Capabilities:

• Understanding the protocols of running low pressure liquid chromatography systems
• Visual demonstration of size exclusion chromatography using dyes
• Determination of the effect of flow rate and column length on product separation and concentration
• Calibration of the column in terms of protein molecular weight and determination of the molecular weight of an unknown protein