Method for detecting polymers in a solution, detector system and chromatography apparatus containing such a detector system

A device for quantitatively detecting the presence or absence of a first polymer in a solution potentially containing said first polymer and at least one other polymer, said device comprising:

• (a) a first conduit for transporting a solution potentially containing at least one polymer;
• (b) a second conduit in fluid communication with said first conduit, said second conduit containing a non-solvent in an amount to make a turbid liquid in the presence of said solution in the first conduit, as a result said first polymer forming a suspension;
• (c) a mixing chamber in fluid communication with said second conduit and said first conduit for mixing said first solution with said non-solvent to form said turbid liquid in the presence of said first polymer;
• and,
• (d) monitoring means in communication with said first conduit, downstream from said second conduit, for determining thc presence of said turbid liquid using a UV/VIS detector, a fluorescence detector, or a laser light scattering detector, and in the presence of said turbid liquid, determining the concentration of the first polymer by isolating the first polymer from said liquid, or measuring the intensity of the turbidity and comparing said turbidity to a known standard related to the concentration of said first polymer, to quantitatively detect said first polymer.