GPC with Parallel Processing for Increased Sample Clean-Up Throughput

Pickering Laboratories, Inc has announced an innovative GPC Quattro gel permeation chromatography (GPC) instrument from LCTech GmbH and will be the exclusive North American distributor of this

latest GPC instrument when it is released in the second quarter of 2009.

The GPC Quattro can be used to run four GPC columns with the same method or four fully independent methods, providing a fourfold increase in productivity in comparison to traditional single-column

instruments. For example, more than 40 samples can be processed during a 9-hour working day while running the DFG S19 method on a standard GPC column. Yet the GPC Quattro 4-column GPC is cost

competitive with single-column GPC instruments and costs much less than existing multi-column instruments.

The GPC Quattro is designed for the clean up of complex animal tissues, food products and environmental samples by separating high molecular weight matrixes from analytical samples. The system provides an

excellent tool for analysing polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), hydrocarbon pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), antibiotics, mycotoxins such as aflatoxins and ochratoxins, and other semivolatile

compounds. The concentrated samples can be easily analysed by GC, GC-MS, HPLC and LC-MS. A typical application for the instrument is sample cleanup of fish prior to GC-MS detection of PCBs and pesticides.

The GPC Quattro is designed for mid-sized laboratories interested in achieving very high throughput at an economical price. The GPC Quattro system includes full error management and the storage run timers

make it easy for users to resume the sample or abort the run in the case of a power outage. Safety features include high and low pressure shut-off and waste level sensor. A safety timer calculates the minimum

time from flow rate and sample loop size for re-switching to load position.

The GPC Quattro instrument has a maximum operating pressure of 1000 psi (70 bar). The higher pressure capabilities of the GPC Quattro allow it to run stainless steel preparative GPC columns that have shorter

run times and to reduce solvent consumption. The flow rate can be varied from 1 to 40 milliliter per minute. The operator manually injects the samples and the system will automatically process the GPC runs.

During the run, the display will provide complete information including an overview screen that shows the progress of all four runs and screens with more detailed information on the individual columns.