Monitoring high performance liquid chromatography

Abstract

A method of monitoring performance of liquid chromatography apparatus comprising an elongated chromatography column and having a conduit coupled to the column inlet for introducing a flow of liquid into said column preferably at very high pressure. Variations in a selected electromagnetic property, such as the electrical conductivity, of the liquid flow are measured, preferably in the conduit. Apparatus is configured so that respective volumes of sample liquid and eluant may be introduced into the conduit sequentially or substantially simultaneously with substantially no band-spreading when flowing through the conduit into the column. A pair of electrically conductive electrodes, coupled to metering means, are positioned at two spaced-apart locations within the conduit and are electrically insulated from each other and from the ends of the conduit.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.