Chromatography column-electrophoresis system
First Claim
1. A system for separating fluid components and conditioning at least certain of the components for analysis or other use, comprising the combination of:
- a horizontal flow liquid chromatography column;
a capillary type electrophoresis apparatus; and
means for interconnecting said column with said electrophoresis apparatus and controlling flow of fluid components from said column into said electrophoresis apparatus;
said column being removably mounted on said means such that associated fluid components separated in said column are controllably deposited directly into said electrophoresis apparatus, said column including disposable fluid separation material, and a fluid distribution and component collection system in which associated fluid to be separated is adapted to be directed around at least a portion of one of side of the fluid separation material and directed radially through the fluid separation material with separated fluid components being collected at an opposite side of the fluid separation material for discharge into said means;
said electrophoresis apparatus including at least one capillary tube operatively connected to said means, a reservoir for electrically conducting buffer material operationally connected to said means, and means for connecting a positive terminal of a high voltage source on buffer material contained in said reservoir;
said means including a multi-port valve assembly operationally connected to said component collection system of said column to said capillary tube and to said buffer material reservoir, for selectively directing associated fluid components and associated buffer material into said capillary tube.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A chromatography column-electrophoresis system for directing the fluid output from the column directly to a point of use, further resolution or separation, detection and/or identification while conditioning or preparing the output for analysis by another instrument such as a mass spectrometer. The system provides for substantially simultaneous analysis in a mass spectrometer, for example, material separated initially by the column, followed by electrophoretic separation and resolution. The chromatography column utilizes horizontal or radial flow of the sample fluid through the separating medium. The column may be of a type having a quickly replaceable or disposable separating medium, or the entire column may be of a readily replaceable or disposable type. The electrophoresis apparatus is of a capillary tube type, one embodiment of which utilizes a pair of capillary tubes thereby providing for continuous operation.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for separating fluid components and conditioning at least certain of the components for analysis or other use, comprising the combination of:
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a horizontal flow liquid chromatography column; a capillary type electrophoresis apparatus; and means for interconnecting said column with said electrophoresis apparatus and controlling flow of fluid components from said column into said electrophoresis apparatus; said column being removably mounted on said means such that associated fluid components separated in said column are controllably deposited directly into said electrophoresis apparatus, said column including disposable fluid separation material, and a fluid distribution and component collection system in which associated fluid to be separated is adapted to be directed around at least a portion of one of side of the fluid separation material and directed radially through the fluid separation material with separated fluid components being collected at an opposite side of the fluid separation material for discharge into said means; said electrophoresis apparatus including at least one capillary tube operatively connected to said means, a reservoir for electrically conducting buffer material operationally connected to said means, and means for connecting a positive terminal of a high voltage source on buffer material contained in said reservoir; said means including a multi-port valve assembly operationally connected to said component collection system of said column to said capillary tube and to said buffer material reservoir, for selectively directing associated fluid components and associated buffer material into said capillary tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. In a system consisting of a liquid chromatography column, an electrophoresis apparatus, and a mass spectrometer, the improvement comprising:
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means for removably connecting at least one chromatography column directly to an electrophoresis apparatus through a valve assembly connected to at least one reservoir for containing electrically conducting buffer material and connected to a capillary tube of said electrophoresis apparatus, and means for connecting said electrophoresis apparatus to said mass spectrometer in a vacuum tight relationship, said chromatography column being of a horizontal flow type, whereby movement of said valve assembly to a first location allows fluid components separated in said column to be directed through said connecting means into said valve assembly, and movement of said valve assembly to a second location allows buffer material from said reservoir to pass through said valve assembly and direct the fluid components therein into said capillary tube in which fluid components undergo conditioning by electrophoresis as the components and buffer material pass through the capillary tube. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification