Abstract: Disclosed are chromatography methods and matrix geometries which permit high resolution, high productivity separation of mixtures of solutes, particularly biological materials. The method involves passing fluids through specially designed chromatography matrices at high flow rates. The matrices define first and second interconnected sets of pores and a high surface area for solute interaction in fluid communication with the members of the second set of pores. The first and second sets of pores are embodied, for example, as the interstices among particles and throughpores within the particles. The pores are dimensioned such that, at achievable high fluid flow rates, convective flow occurs in both pore sets, and the convective flow rate exceeds the rate of solute diffusion in the second pore set. This approach couples convective and diffusive mass transport to and from the active surface and permits increases in fluid velocity without the normally expected bandspreading.

Abstract: Disclosed are chromatography methods and matrix geometries which permit high resolution, high productivity separation of mixtures of solutes, particularly biological materials. The method involves passing fluids through specially designed chromatography matrices at high flow rates. The matrices define first and second interconnected sets of pores and a high surface area for solute interaction in fluid communication with the members of the second set of pores. The first and second sets of pores are embodied, for example, as the interstices among particles and throughpores within the particles. The pores are dimensioned such that, at achievable high fluid flow rates, convective flow occurs in both pore sets, and the convective flow rate exceeds the rate of solute diffusion in the second pore set. This approach couples convective and diffusive mass transport to and from the active surface and permits increases in fluid velocity without the normally expected bandspreading.

Abstract: Disclosed are hydrophilic coatings covalently bound to hydrophobic surfaces as well as methods for their production. To form the coated surfaces, a compound is provided which comprises a hydrophobic domain including an unsaturated group and a hydrophilic domain. Also provided is a hydrophobic surface comprising unsaturated groups. Molecules of the compound are adsorbed onto the hydrophobic surface, and the unsaturated groups in the hydrophobic domains of molecules of the compound then are covalently crosslinked to the unsaturated groups on the hydrophobic surface by a free radical reaction. In one embodiment, hydrophilic coatings may be covalently attached to hydrophobic polymers such as divinylbenzene crosslinked polystyrene. Hydrophilic coatings covalently attached to hydrophobic surfaces are obtained which are stable, which may be readily derivatized, and which are useful in a wide range of chromatography applications.

Abstract: Disclosed are chromatography methods and matrix geometries which permit high resolution, high productivity separation of mixtures of solutes, particularly biological materials. The method involves passing fluids through specially designed chromatography matrices at high flow rates. The matrices define first and second interconnected sets of pores and a high surface area for solute interaction in fluid communication with the members of the second set of pores. The first and second sets of pores are embodied, for example, as the interstices among particles and throughpores within the particles. The pores are dimensioned such that, at achievable high fluid flow rates, convective flow occurs in both pore sets, and the convective flow rate exceeds the rate of solute diffusion in the second pore set. This approach couples convective and diffusive mass transport to and from the active surface and permits increases in fluid velocity without the normally expected bandspreading.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for determining the presence of one or more analytes in a sample, wherein the presence of a complex of an analyte and an analyte-specific binding moiety is detected at a location in an elongate pH gradient corresponding to a predetermined isoelectric point of the complex in the gradient. An electric field applied across the elongate pH gradient prior to the detection of the complex transports the complex to the location in the pH gradient corresponding to the predetermined isoelectric point. The analyte-specific binding moiety preferably is provided with a detectable label such as a fluorescent label. A parameter, e.g., fluorescence intensity, indicative of the amount of the complex at the location in the pH gradient corresponding to the predetermined isoelectric point may be determined to quantitate the analyte.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for the rapid identification of a solute of interest in an effluent stream. The method involves separation of the solutes in the effluent and identification of a particular solute of interest by its selective subtraction from the effluent stream.

Abstract: Disclosed are chromatography methods and matrix geometries which permit high resolution, high productivity separation of mixtures of solutes, particularly biological materials. The method involves passing fluids through specially designed chromatography matrices at high flow rates. The matrices define first and second interconnected sets of pores and a high surface area for solute interaction in fluid communication with the members of the second set of pores. The first and second sets of pores are embodied, for example, as the interstices among particles and throughpores within the particles. The pores are dimensioned such that, at achievable high fluid flow rates, convective flow occurs in both pore sets, and the convective flow rate exceeds the rate of solute diffusion in the second pore set. This approach couples convective and diffusive mass transport to and from the active surface and permits increases in fluid velocity without the normally expected bandspreading.

Abstract: Disclosed are pellicular materials useful in contact with proteins and as chromatography media. Rigid, inert, hydrophobic, polymeric materials are exposed to a solution comprising a solute defining plural interspersed hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains. The solute molecules adsorb onto the surface of the substrate by hydrophobic - hydrophobic interaction with their hydrophilic domains extending outwardly away from the surface into the solution. The molecules are then crosslinked in place to produce a solvent and pH resistant coating which presents a hydrophilic surface sufficient to mask hydrophobic regions therebeneath. The multidomain adsorbing compounds may comprise reactive groups which subsequently can be derivatized using conventional techniques to produce chromatography materials useful for conducting affinity, size exclusion, cationic exchange, anionic exchange, neutral hydrophobic interaction, and other forms of chromatographic separations.

Abstract: Disclosed are chromatography methods and matrix geometries which permit high resolution, high productivity separation of mixtures of solutes, particularly biological materials. The method involves passing fluids through specially designed chromatography matrices at high flow rates. The matrices define first and second interconnected sets of pores and a high surface area for solute interaction in fluid communication with the members of the second set of pores. The first and second sets of pores are embodied, for example, as the interstices among particles and throughpores within the particles. The pores are dimensioned such that, at achievable high fluid flow rates, convective flow occurs in both pore sets, and the convective flow rate exceeds the rate of solute diffusion in the second pore set. This approach couples convective and diffusive mass transport to and from the active surface and permits increases in fluid velocity without the normally expected bandspreading.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for quantitatively analyzing, in a flowing stream, materials in a biological or chemical sample utilizes immobilized antobodies reversibly precharged with fluorescently labeled antigens. The labeled antigens are competitively displaced by unlabeled antigens in the sample, after the sample antigens have been segregated into zones by a chromatographic device, such as the reverse phase high performance liquid chromatograph. Displaced labeled antigens are measured by a fluorescence detector. A plurality of antibody species may be concurrently utilized, thereby allowing quantification of a plurality of antigens from a single sample.