High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC)

Definition

High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) is a technique in analytical chemistry used to separate, identify, and quantify each component in a mixture. It relies on pumps to pass a pressurized liquid solvent containing the sample mixture through a column filled with a solid adsorbent material.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. HPLC is widely used for analyzing complex mixtures of biological molecules.
2. The separation process in HPLC is based on differences in the interactions between the components of the mixture and the stationary phase within the column.
3. HPLC can be used to identify microorganisms by analyzing their metabolic products or specific biomarkers.
4. The detection methods in HPLC include UV-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence, and mass spectrometry.
5. In microbiology, HPLC can help differentiate between species of bacteria by comparing their unique biochemical profiles.

Review Questions

Related terms

Chromatography:

A laboratory technique for separating mixtures into individual components.

Stationary Phase:

The solid or liquid phase that stays fixed inside the column during chromatography.

Retention Time: The time it takes for a particular compound to travel through the column to the detector.