Instrumentation in Gel Chromatography

• In the pharmaceutical domain, instrumentation for gel chromatography ensures accuracy, consistency, and precision.

Here's a colored diagram illustrating the instrumentation of Gel Chromatography:

A standard gel chromatography system comprises the following components:

1. Pump:

• Provides a steady and consistent flow of the mobile phase (often a buffer solution) through the column.

• Precision in flow rate is essential to maintain resolution.

2. Sample Injector:

• Allows the introduction of a precise volume of the sample into the mobile phase stream.

• Modern systems use automatic injectors for accuracy and reproducibility.

3. Column:

• The heart of the system, it's packed with porous gel beads made from materials like agarose, dextran, or polyacrylamide.

• Columns can vary in size, from small analytical columns to larger preparative ones.
  

4. Detectors:

1. Refractive Index Detector: Measures changes in the refractive index of the eluent, commonly used for carbohydrate analysis.

2. Ultraviolet (UV) Detector: Measures UV absorbance, especially useful for proteins and nucleic acids that absorb UV light at specific wavelengths.

3. Light Scattering Detector: Used to determine the molar mass of the eluted molecules directly.

5. Temperature Control Unit:

• Some separations require temperature control to ensure the stability of sensitive molecules or to optimize separation conditions.

6. Recorder/Data System:

• Modern chromatographs are connected to computers with specialized software to record, analyze, and display data in real-time.

• This allows for peak integration, molecular weight estimation, and other analyses