The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 24, 2006
Filed:
Apr. 04, 2002
Lawrence J. Licklider, Jamaica Plain, MA (US);
Steven P. Gygi, Foxboro, MA (US);
Junmin Peng, Brighton, MA (US);
Lawrence J. Licklider, Jamaica Plain, MA (US);
Steven P. Gygi, Foxboro, MA (US);
Junmin Peng, Brighton, MA (US);
The President and Fellows of Harvard College, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
A system for automatically performing liquid chromatography analysis of low volume liquid chemical samples at nanosecond flow rates using an analysis column that integrates a pre-concentration trapping column and a chromatography separation column terminating at an electrospray nozzle of an online mass spectrometer. The analysis column consists of a capillary having an inside diameter of between 75 and 125 microns packed throughout with a porous bed of micron particles. A branch outlet positioned 10 to 16 centimeters upstream from the nozzle divides the analysis column into an upstream pre-concentration trap and a downstream separation column. An autosampler delivers low volume liquid samples to the upstream inlet via a two-position valve. Feed connections couple the autosampler to upstream inlet when the valve is open to inject a liquid sample into the pre-concentration trap at a maximum loading flow rate in the range from 0.5 to 50 microliters/minute. Thereafter, when the valve closes, it terminates the further injection the sample, and a concentrated portion of the sample then passes though the chromatography separation column at a much slower flow rate between 10 and 1,000 nanoliters per minute. Throughput can be doubled by coupling two such analysis columns to a single autosampler using a ten-port, two position valve. A single column can be supplied through a six port two-position valve.