Electrophoresis apparatus with flow control

In an apparatus for conducting a continuous free flow electrophoresis separation procedure, the apparatus comprising:

• a rectilinear buffer filled separation chamber defined by two elongate spaced apart parallel plates forming a front and back to the chamber, two sides, an end comprising a collection manifold having a plurality of spaced apart collection tubes, an end comprising a buffer solution inlet manifold assembly;
• two buffer filled electrode chambers, each disposed adjacent to one of the sides of the separation chamber in electrical communication therewith;
• and
• at least one sample inlet port located at or near the inlet of the chamber;
• the improvement comprising means for controlling buffer flow across the separation chamber in a direction substantially parallel to an electrical field created between the electrode chambers, the means comprising first and second buffer flow paths, the first flow path connecting the outlet of the first electrode chamber with the inlet of the second electrode chamber, and the second flow path connecting the outlet of the second electrode chamber with the inlet of the first electrode chamber, the buffer solution in each flow path being driven by separate pump means.