Methods and devices for the washing, extraction, and separation of a sample in a disposable chromatography cartridge (201) comprising a barrel (204) and a column (205), and especially including reinforcement to the column permitting high-pressure separation.

System, apparatuses, and methods for performing automated reagent-based analysis are provided. Also provided are methods for automated attachment of a cap to a reaction receptacle, and automated removal of a cap from a capped reaction receptacle.

Systems, apparatus, methods, and kits are provided for automated mass spectrometric analysis of small volumes of liquid samples, such as biological samples. The systems, apparatus, and kits may be used in facilities where high throughput of samples, as well as reliable and repeatable assay results with little training of staff, are needed. Such facilities include hospital emergency wards.

A method for liquid chromatography comprises steps of: mixing a sample comprising a plurality of chemical constituents with a first solvent; transferring the solvent and the plurality of constituents to a first chromatographic column housed in a cartridge; chromatographically separating a sub-group of the plurality of constituents from unwanted constituents using the first chromatographic column; transferring the sub-group of the plurality of constituents from the first chromatographic column to a second column housed in the cartridge, the transferring effected by the flow of a second solvent; chromatographically separating, from one another, individual constituents of the sub-group of the plurality of constituents using the second chromatographic column; and transferring the separated individual constituents to a detector.

The invention provides an apparatus and system for the separation and optional analysis of the components of a sample of material, the apparatus and system comprising a cartridge comprising: at least one sample inlet port, at least one resin inlet port and a multiplicity of reagent and purge fluid input ports which are fluidically connected via a multiplicity of control valves to a multiplicity of chromatographic columns which are fluidically connected together in series; and a multiplicity of outlet ports wherein each outlet port additionally comprises an outlet valve which is adapted to control the flow of fluid through said outlet ports; wherein each of said multiplicity of chromatographic columns is aligned with one of said multiplicity of outlet ports so as to allow for fluid flow from said column through said outlet port. The system optionally additionally facilitates the analysis of the components. The invention additionally provides a method for the separation of the components of a sample of material which comprises the use of the apparatus and system of the invention. The apparatus, system and method of the invention are advantageously applied to the separation and analysis of radioactive materials.

Systems, methods, and cartridges taught herein improve chromatographic performance in electrospray systems that feature chromatographic columns having a conductive or semiconductive stationary phase by electrically connecting a fluid junction located upstream of the chromatographic column to a fluid union located downstream of the chromatographic column using an electrical conductor. The electrical conductor creates a voltage equipotential between a first end of the chromatographic column and a second end of the chromatographic column that neutralizes current flow through the chromatographic column. Accurate electrospray current measurements are enabled while post-column peak dispersion and repeatable retention time are achieved.

There is provided a system for separation of analytes in a solution. The system encompasses a disposable cartridge enclosing a sorbent for binding the analytes in a solution and a conduit establishing a fluid link to a valve having a holding-loop to achieve elution through the cartridge at low pressures. The valve is switchable to a position following the elution from the cartridge for emptying through an outlet port at high pressures such as those required for moving liquid through chromatographic columns.

In this invention, chromatography is integrated on a centrifugal platform to enable low-cost automated purification. Differing from the traditional chromatography method, purification and separation of a centrifugal compound collecting platform disclosed in the present invention mainly uses a centrifugal force to drive the fluid to flow outward in the radial direction when the motor rotates. The compounds to be separated react with the column packing during the flow, and the compounds with different polarities in the sample are gradually separated. The flow of the fluid can be governed by the motor and the geometry of the fluidic design such that compounds with different characteristics can be separated and collected in different collecting chambers.

A parallel assembly of chromatography column modules, the assembly having one common assembly inlet and one common assembly outlet, each column module comprising a bed space filled with chromatography medium and each column module comprises integrated fluid conduits which when the column module is connected with other column modules are adapted to connect the bed space of the column module with the assembly inlet and the assembly outlet, wherein the total length and/or volume of the fluid conduit from the assembly inlet to one bed space together with the length and/or volume of the fluid conduit from the same bed space to the assembly outlet is substantially the same for all bed spaces and modules installed in the parallel assembly.

A cap having a lower portion, an upper portion with an opening formed therein, and a plurality of longitudinally oriented ribs disposed on an inner surface of the cap. The inner surface of the cap is defined by the opening formed in the upper portion of the cap, and each rib is associated with a concave recess disposed directly opposite the rib on an outer surface of the upper portion of the cap. The recess extends along at least part of the length of the rib.