Method and Apparatus for Separating and Concentrating Analytes

An article of manufacture comprising:

• (a) a solid substrate comprising a surface and four edges, wherein a first edge is opposite to a third edge and a second edge is opposite to a fourth edge;
• (b) chromatography medium on the surface of the substrate through which liquid phase can travel;
• and
• (c) one or more barriers, the barrier comprising an area of substrate reduced in chromatography medium across which a liquid phase cannot travel.

A system comprising:

• (a) a receiving area for a chromatography plate;
• (b) at least one solvent chamber configured such that, when the chromatography cartridge is inserted into the receiving area, the solvent chamber is in fluid communication with at least a portion of the chromatography medium, optionally, wherein the solvent chamber is in fluid communication with one or more sources of solvent;
• and
• (c) a detector.

A method comprising:

• (a) applying a sample comprising a mixture of molecules comprising at least one analyte to a sample loading zone of a chromatography plate;
• (b) separating the analyte from other molecules in the mixture in a first dimension of the plate using a separating solvent;
• and
• (c) concentrating the analyte in a second dimension of the plate using a concentrating solvent, wherein the concentrating solvent is applied to both sides of the analyte such that the analyte is concentrated towards the middle of the second dimension.

An article of manufacture comprising:

• (a) a solid substrate;
• (b) chromatography medium on the surface of the substrate through which a liquid phase can travel;
• (c) one or more barriers, the barrier comprising an area of substrate reduced in chromatography medium across which a liquid phase cannot travel, wherein the one or more barriers isolates a first region of chromatography medium from a second region of chromatography medium;
• and
• (d) one or more calibrants applied to the second region, whereby liquid phase applied to the first region is not able to travel to the second region and alter the one or more calibrants placed in the second region.

A method comprising:

• (a) applying a sample comprising a mixture of molecules comprising at least one analyte to a sample loading zone of a chromatography plate, wherein the analyte is present in an amount no more than any of 0.1 ng, 0.2 ng, 0.3 ng, 0.4 ng, 0.5 ng, 0.6 ng, 0.7 ng, 0.8 ng, 0.9 ng, 1 ng, 5 ng, 10 ng, 25 ng, 50 ng, or 100 ng;
• (b) separating the analyte from other molecules in the mixture in a first dimension of the plate using a separating solvent;
• (c) concentrating the analyte in a second dimension of the plate using a concentrating solvent;
• and
• (d) detecting the concentrated analyte.

A method comprising:

• (a) applying a sample comprising a mixture of molecules comprising at least one analyte to a sample loading zone of a chromatography plate;
• (b) separating the analyte from other molecules in the mixture in a first dimension of the plate using a separating solvent;
• and
• (c) concentrating the analyte in a second dimension of the plate using a concentrating solvent, wherein the concentrating solvent is applied to opposite sides of the analyte such that the analyte is compressed along the second dimension.

A method comprising:

• (a) applying a sample comprising a mixture of molecules comprising at least one analyte to a sample loading zone of a chromatography plate;
• (b) concentrating the sample in the first dimension, the second dimension, and/or both by applying a concentrating solvent to the chromatography plate;
• (c) separating the analyte from other molecules in the mixture in a first dimension of the plate using a separating solvent;
• and
• (d) concentrating the analyte in a second dimension of the plate using a concentrating solvent.