Chromatography separates components of a mixture using different behaviors in a solvent and absorbent medium. It has various types and applications in fields such as science, forensics, and athletics. The process requires skill and precision, with the result being a chromatograph that shows substance concentrations.
Chromatography is a process that can be used to isolate the various components of a mixture. There are several types in use, including gas, liquid, paper, and gel permeation chromatography, and this process can be quite complicated, especially with complex mixtures. It is also an extremely useful addition to a variety of fields, including pure and applied sciences, forensics, and athletics, among others.
The process relies on the fact that different molecules will behave in different ways when dissolved in a solvent and moved through an absorbent medium. In a very simple example, one could take ink and make a mark on a piece of paper. The paper could be immersed in water and the capillary action of the water would push the ink through the paper. As the ink moved, its ingredients separated, revealing a distinctive pattern that could be used to determine the ink’s components.
In preparative chromatography, researchers separate the individual components of a compound for use in the laboratory or in research. This process can become extremely precise: using this technique, for example, scientists can isolate two strands of DNA that differ in only a small amount. In analytical chromatography, the goal is to understand what is in a sample. Drug tests rely on this technique to isolate illicit substances in urine and blood samples, for example.
In the example above with a dot of ink and a piece of paper, the basic concepts behind the process are illustrated, although most of the methods are a bit more sophisticated. It is important to choose the right solvent or carrier fluid in which to dissolve the sample and to select an appropriate solid medium for passing the sample. Wrong choices can lead to confusing or inaccurate results, and the procedure requires substantial operator skills to ensure it returns useful data.
The result of a session is a chromatograph, a printout that provides information about the substance being analyzed. The printout usually takes the form of a graph with a series of dips and peaks. Each peak represents a substance present in the sample and the concentrations of these substances can be determined by observing the height and width of the peak. Computer chromatography machines automatically generate such printouts as the data is produced, and they can even be done by hand.
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