Preparative HPLC

[rc_12321]

Hello
What is preparative HPLC? is it like our general HPLC?
What are its applications in industry? please explain.

[tom jupille]

"preparative" HPLC refers to collecting a purified compound after separation (as opposed to simply measuring how much is there).

Scale can range from micrograms to kilograms. The principles are the same as "analytical" HPLC (where you measure, but don't collect product), but the details and equipment will obviously be scaled to the mass of compound involved.

[rc_12321]

But how to collect impurities ? or other solutions?

[tom jupille]

In the simplest case, you stand there with a test tube catch the drops as the product elutes from the system. In most cases, you would use a "fraction collector" which periodically switches tubes. In some cases, a diverter valve is used to switch the flow to a collection vessel only when the product is eluting from the system.

Aside from the fact that everything is smaller, this is no different from the way it is done in classical column chromatography. For a diagram, check here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatogr ... matography