A method of controlling a sample separation apparatus, for separating a fluidic sample using a mobile phase provided from at least one mobile phase container, includes determining a weight and volume reduction behavior according to which weight and volume of mobile phase in a mobile phase container are reduced during conveying mobile phase from the mobile phase container in the sample separation apparatus, and determining a tare weight of the mobile phase container based on a gross weight information, a volume information, and the determined weight and volume reduction behavior. The gross weight information is indicative of an initial gross weight of the mobile phase container including its mobile phase, and the volume information is indicative of an initial mobile phase volume in the mobile phase container.

Systems and methods for automatically packing resin into and unpacking resin from a reusable separation column for sample analysis are described. A method embodiment includes, but is not limited to, introducing a slurry of resin to a reusable sample separation column to pack the reusable column with resin; introducing a sample solution to the reusable sample separation column; and unpacking the resin from the reusable sample separation column with a flow of liquid unpacking reagent and gaseous material.

A chromatographic column assembly is described, comprising a channel and a flow inducer. The channel comprises an inlet for receiving a sample liquid and an outlet, and is adapted for separating the sample liquid into components when the sample liquid flows through the channel in an axial direction from the inlet to the outlet. The flow inducer is adapted for controllably inducing, when the sample fluid is flowing through the channel, a motion of the sample liquid in the channel in a plane substantially orthogonal to the axial direction.

Low-retention pre-columns that allow increased injection volumes of solvents chromatographically stronger than the mobile phase and use of solvents with limited solubility in the mobile phase, such as ethyl acetate and MTBE. The system and method also reduces band broadening due to the extra-column effects acting upstream of the analytical column, including band broadening due to the injection process and due to the connecting tubing and fittings between the injection system and the column. A pre-column may also be used as a guard column, thereby minimizing band broadening due to the guard column.

In a sample separation apparatus for separating a fluidic sample, a mobile phase container is identified by determining a weight and volume characteristic of the mobile phase container, and identifying the mobile phase container based on a comparison of the determined weight and volume characteristic of the mobile phase container with a pre-known reference weight and volume characteristic of one or more reference mobile phase containers with pre-known identity. A mobile phase is identified by determining a weight and volume reduction behavior according to which weight and volume of mobile phase in a mobile phase container are reduced during conveying mobile phase from the mobile phase container in the sample separation apparatus, and identifying the mobile phase based on a comparison of the determined weight and volume reduction behavior with pre-known reference weight and volume reduction behavior of one or more reference mobile phase materials with pre-known identity.

The present disclosure relates to optical flow cells for use in chromatography or extraction systems. The optical flow cells include an inlet portion configured to receive a highly compressible fluid and an inlet transition portion or gasket having an internal volume and internal geometry configured to receive the highly compressible fluid from the inlet portion. The optical flow cell also includes an optical path portion configured to receive the highly compressible fluid from the inlet transition portion and direct the highly compressible fluid along an optical flow path. The internal volume and the internal geometry of the inlet transition portion configured to minimize turbulence and eddies within the highly compressible fluid as it travels through the optical flow path.

A method of applying microwave radiation to a chromatography column to achieve turbulent chromatography, increase the speed of column equilibration following a change of mobile phase, facilitate faster mixing of fluids, reduce the viscosity of fluids, and apply temperature pulses to selected time segments of a separation. The method may be used in conjunction with the use of columns packed with fused-core particles or monolithic columns. Improved size-based separations may be achieved using diffusion-and-turbulent-dependent size exclusion chromatography.

A chromatographic column assembly is described, comprising a channel and a flow inducer. The channel comprises an inlet for receiving a sample liquid and an outlet, and is adapted for separating the sample liquid into components when the sample liquid flows through the channel in an axial direction from the inlet to the outlet. The flow inducer is adapted for controllably inducing, when the sample fluid is flowing through the channel, a motion of the sample liquid in the channel in a plane substantially orthogonal to the axial direction.

Low-retention pre-columns that allow increased injection volumes of solvents chromatographically stronger than the mobile phase and use of solvents with limited solubility in the mobile phase, such as ethyl acetate and MTBE. The system and method also reduces band broadening due to the extra-column effects acting upstream of the analytical column, including band broadening due to the injection process and due to the connecting tubing and fittings between the injection system and the column. A pre-column may also be used as a guard column, thereby minimizing band broadening due to the guard column.

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.