Malvern OMNISEC GPC/SEC for measuring the distribution of molecular weights

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The Malvern OMNISEC Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC)/Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) uses multi-detection technology for characterising both proteins and polymers. It employs a concentration detector, viscometer and light scattering detector acting in concert, with each detector providing complementary but different information.

The light scattering detector provides a direct measurement of absolute molecular weight and eliminates the need for column calibration. The viscometer detector provides a direct measurement of intrinsic viscosity or molecular density and allows the determination of molecular size, conformation and structure. Concentration is measured with a differential refractive index detector (RI) and is necessary for the determination of both molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity.

Multi-detection is able to accomplish all this and more without the need for lengthy column calibration. Simply running a single narrow standard will verify the instrument constants as well as performing corrections for inter-detector volume and peak broadening effects. The peak broadening calculations are critical to good multi-detector GPC/SEC and the calculations used in the OMNISEC software are the result of over 25 years’ experience with this type of algorithm. The addition of Viscotek SEC-MALS 20 to Malvern’s range of detectors means that the company can provide every commercially available light scattering technology for GPC/SEC.

Download ‘Static light scattering technologies for GPC/SEC explained’ for a straightforward description of multi-detection GPC/SEC analysis.