Methods and systems for separating a first biomaterial from a second biomaterial can use functionalized material retained in a liquid-filled chamber at locales within an acoustic standing wave field. A culture suspension containing the first biomaterial and the second biomaterial flows into the liquid-filled chamber and at least portions of the first biomaterial with features complementary to the functionalized material becomes bound to the functionalized material while other portions of the culture suspension containing the second material pass through the chamber. The portion of the first biomaterial bound to the functionalized material is subsequently released from the liquid filled chamber.

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.

Apparatus for processing a liquid comprising a target substance, preferably a biomolecule, is provided. The apparatus comprises at least a first and a second means for carrying out a unit operation, each means for carrying out a unit operation comprising a feed for a liquid in fluid connection with the inlet of a flow-controller comprising a variable flow inlet valve and an outlet, wherein at least one of the means for carrying out a unit operation comprises feeds for at least two liquids, the feeds being in fluid connection with the inlets of a multiple inlet flow-controller comprising two or more variable flow inlet valves for dosing the at least two liquids, the flow-controller also comprising an outlet; a feed for a liquid feedstock comprising the target substance in fluid connection with the outlet from the flow-controller thereby to enable combination of the feed for a liquid comprising the target substance with the mixed bioprocessing liquids to produce a device feed; a device for achieving a processing operation comprising a device inlet and a device outlet, the device inlet being in fluid connection with the device feed; and a means for imparting flow through the flow controller and from the feed for the liquid feedstock through the processing device via the device inlet; and wherein the feed for a liquid feedstock comprising the target substance for the second means for carrying out a unit operation comprises the outlet from the first means for carrying out a unit operation.