Apparatuses and methods for electrochemically modifying the retention of species on chromatography material
AssigneeAlltech Associates, Inc.
InventorsJames M. Anderson, Jr., Raaidah Saari-Nordhaus, Carl W. Sims, Yuri E. Gerner
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for electrochemically modifying the retention of a species on a chromatography material is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a housing having an effluent flow channel adapted to permit fluid flow therethrough. The effluent flow channel comprises chromatography material. The apparatus further comprises first and second electrodes positioned such that at least a portion of the chromatography material is disposed between the first and second electrodes, and fluid flow through the apparatus is between, and in contact with, the first and second electrodes.
Claims23
A method of electroelution chromatography for detecting species in a sample, the method comprising:
- a) providing a stationary phase wherein at least a portion of the stationary phase is positioned between a first electrode and a second electrode;
- b) flowing the species to be separated through the stationary phase where the species are retained thereon;
- c) providing water;
- d) conducting electrolysis of the water to generate electrolysis ions comprising hydronium ions and hydroxide ions;
- e) eluting the retained species by flowing the electrolysis ions selected from the group consisting of hydroxide ions, hydronium ions or mixtures thereof through the stationary phase;
- and
- f) subsequently flowing the eluted species to a detector for detection.
A method of electroelution chromatography for detecting ions in a sample comprising:
- a) providing water;
- b) providing chromatography material comprising exchangeable ions of the sample ions;
- c) flowing the sample ions through the chromatography material thereby retaining the sample ions on the chromatography material;
- d) generating additional exchangeable ions of the sample ions by the electrolysis of water;
- e) eluting the retained sample ions by flowing the exchangeable ions from the electrolysis through the chromatography material;
- and
- f) subsequently flowing the sample ions to a detector for detection.
A method for generating a high purity eluant for detecting sample ions comprising:
- providing water;
- providing sample ions;
- providing eluant generating chromatography material comprising counter-ions of the sample ions;
- generating electrolysis ions by the electrolysis of water wherein the electrolysis ions are selected from the group consisting of hydronium ions and hydroxide ions;
- and wherein either the hydronium ions or hyroxide ions are exchangeable with the sample counter-ions in the eluant generating chromatography material;
- flowing the exchangeable electrolysis ions through the eluant generating chromatography material so that the exchangeable electrolysis ions replace the sample counter ions in the chromatography material;
- combining the sample counter-ions with the other of the electrolysis ions which are not exchangeable with the sample counter-ions to form an eluant;
- flowing the sample ions and eluant to a chromatography column for separating the sample ions;
- and
- flowing the separated sample ions to a detector for detection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.