Liquid chromatography and HPLC or High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography is a specialized process that allows the separation of individual compounds within a solution. This testing is very specific and accurate and can easily detect the smallest traces of chemicals with fully automated testing capabilities.
Standard and HPLC
The standard used liquid chromatography equipment is not HPLC, so it’s important to make sure you are looking at the system that is right for your specific testing needs. Different instruments and equipment systems can offer a range of different features and testing options that make them a good match for your lab or that may make the equipment less effective for the testing services offered.
The HPLC systems use a pump to move the sample and the mobile phase through the columns for testing. This is different from the standard system which uses gravity, making the process slightly slower and sometimes requiring larger sample sizes.
Type of System
As technology has expanded and most used liquid chromatography equipment is now the HPLC variety, the compatibility with any current systems in place in the lab will be important.
Some systems are designed to be self-contained or all-in-one types of systems. These will have the mobile phase, pump, injector, columns and detector (for HPLC systems) all in the unit. There are also modular system options in used liquid chromatography equipment that will allow you to expand your current testing capacity by adding on the necessary components.
The biggest issue when choosing a modular system is to ensure that the used or new components purchased are fully compatible with your existing system. Modular systems are also often the go-to option in large labs and testing facilities as it is easy and more cost effective to replace or upgrade components as compared to replacing the complete system.