An apparatus for extracting an analyte from a liquid sample having a container with an entrance, an exit, and a passage therebetween for passage of a liquid sample containing an analyte, the container having a full diameter bed region and a reduced diameter bed region. The container includes a layered construction extending across the passage, having from top to bottom one or more of: (i) an upper flow distributor/support layer, (ii) an upper compression layer, (iii) an extraction layer of microparticulate extraction medium adjacent to the layer (ii), and (iv) a lower compression layer located adjacent to the extraction layer (iii), optionally including one or more air gap layers. At least some of the layers are located in the full diameter bed region, and some of the layers are located in the reduced diameter bed region. The apparatus may have a plurality of containers arranged in an array and/or in series so as to provide multi-stage filtration or extraction.

An apparatus for extracting an analyte from a liquid sample having a container with an entrance, an exit, and a passage therebetween for passage of a liquid sample containing an analyte, the container having a full diameter bed region and a reduced diameter bed region. The container includes a layered construction extending across the passage, having from top to bottom one or more of: (i) an upper flow distributor/support layer, (ii) an upper compression layer, (iii) an extraction layer of microparticulate extraction medium adjacent to the layer (ii), and (iv) a lower compression layer located adjacent to the extraction layer (iii), optionally including one or more air gap layers. At least some of the layers are located in the full diameter bed region, and some of the layers are located in the reduced diameter bed region. The apparatus may have a plurality of containers arranged in an array and/or in series so as to provide multi-stage filtration or extraction.

A hand-held microfluidic testing device is provided that includes a housing having a cartridge receiving port, a cartridge for input to the cartridge receiving port having a sample input and a channel, where the channel includes a mixture of Raman-scattering nanoparticles and a calibration solution, where the calibration solution includes chemical compounds capable of interacting with a sample under test input to the cartridge and the Raman-scattering nanoparticles, and an optical detection system in the housing, where the optical detection system is capable of providing an illuminated electric field, where the illuminating electric field is capable of being used for Raman spectroscopy with the Raman-scattering nanoparticles and the calibration solution to analyze the sample under test input to the cartridge.

A hand-held microfluidic testing device is provided that includes a housing having a cartridge receiving port, a cartridge for input to the cartridge receiving port having a sample input and a channel, where the channel includes a mixture of Raman-scattering nanoparticles and a calibration solution, where the calibration solution includes chemical compounds capable of interacting with a sample under test input to the cartridge and the Raman-scattering nanoparticles, and an optical detection system in the housing, where the optical detection system is capable of providing an illuminated electric field, where the illuminating electric field is capable of being used for Raman spectroscopy with the Raman-scattering nanoparticles and the calibration solution to analyze the sample under test input to the cartridge.

Disclosed herein are chromatography columns with conical or reducing inside dimensions and improved fits for use therewith, along with methods for making the columns and the frits.

Chromatographic systems for size exclusion chromatography (SEC) are provided that comprise an inlet, an outlet, an analytic column having a first interior volume that has a first length and a first cross-sectional area normal to the first length, the first interior volume containing a first stationary phase, and a guard column having a second interior volume that has a second length and a second cross-sectional area normal to the second length, the second interior volume containing a second stationary phase. The inlet is in fluid communication with the guard column, the guard column is in fluid communication with the analytic column, and the analytic column is in fluid communication with the outlet. Moreover, the second length is smaller than the first length, and the second cross-sectional area is smaller than the first cross-sectional area.

A gas chromatography device for peak focusing of one or more target analytes is provided that include a chromatographic column with an inlet and an outlet. A stationary phase is deposited inside the chromatographic column and has a positive thickness gradient. The stationary phase extends from the inlet to the outlet and has a first thickness at the inlet of the chromatographic column and a second thickness at the outlet of the chromatographic column. The second thickness is at least about 10% greater than the first thickness. Methods of peak focusing in a gas chromatography device, method of verifying peak focusing in a gas chromatography device and creating a gas chromatography device having a chromatographic column with a positive thickness gradient are also provided.

The present disclosure provides chromatography columns and methods of chromatographic separation using the same. In particular, the disclosure provides modified columns where the cross-sectional area of the column increases in an area near the end of the column in a flared manner. The modified columns can be used in Expanded Bed Absorption (EBA) systems.