System development for aqueous gel permeation chromatography

To devise an improved gel permeation chromatography system for the analysis of macromolecules, with a strongly alkaline solution as eluent, three Fractogel TSK gels were investigated. Because primary standards are usually unavailable, calibration was achieved by using Benoit's universal procedure and polystyrene sulfonates, polyethylene glycols, and dextrans as secondary calibrants. Continuous monitoring of intrinsic viscosity resulted from coupling a viscodetector with a classical differential refractometer. It was found that column efficiency and fractionation range could be extended well beyond those of previously studied systems on a reasonably short period of analysis.