Non-contact sampler with an open-port interface for liquid chromatography systems

A method of performing liquid chromatography (LC) with an LC system comprising an LC column and an analyzer, the method comprising:

• delivering a transport liquid to an open port interface (OPI) of a sample receiving circuit, wherein the sample receiving circuit comprises a sample transfer chamber;
• ejecting a sample from a sample holder into the OPI with a non-contact ejector;
• receiving the transport liquid and the sample in the sample transfer chamber;
• decoupling the sample transfer chamber from the sample receiving circuit;
• coupling the sample transfer chamber to an analysis circuit;
• delivering a solvent to the analysis circuit;
• pushing the sample from the sample transfer chamber with the solvent;
• passing the sample and the solvent through the LC column to produce an eluent;
• and
• analyzing the eluent with the analyzer.