The chromatography laboratory is equipped with five high performance liquid chromatographs, a gas chromatograph and a preparative liquid chromatograph. The instruments allow a broad spectrum of qualitative and quantitative analyzes to be performed. The laboratory handles routine analyzes of the concentration of carbohydrates, volatile fatty acids and alcohols in samples of fermentation broths. Quantification of preservatives (sorbic and benzoic acids), mycotoxins (zearalenone), vitamins and phenolic acids in food and environmental matrices.
Preparations of proteins, polysaccharides and low-molecular compounds are obtained for further research through the separation and purification of biomolecules. Among the techniques used in preparative scale, ion-exchange, size-exclusion, reverse-phase adsorption chromatography and affinity chromatography are performed.
The essential equipement of the Chromatogrphy Laboratory includes:
- High-performance liquid chromatographs:
Two LaChrome Hitachi Merck chromatographs, an Agilent Technologies 1200 series chromatograph, and an Agilent Technologies 1260 series chromatograph with fluorescence (FLD), spectrophotometric (UV-Vis), diode array (DAD) and refractometric detectors (RID). - Mass spectrometer coupled to HPLC – 6224 Series Accurate-Mass Time-of-Flight (TOF) LC/MS Agilent:
The instrument allows precise determination of the molecular weight of analyzed compounds. It finds application in the analysis of proteins and other macromolecules, profiling or identification of materials and compounds of biological origin. - Gas chromatograph (Agilent 7890A):
A gas chromatography system equipped with FID and TCD, a split/splittless injector, an autosampler, and an injection valve for samples of gas. It finds application in the analysis of volatile metabolites, fatty acids, petroleum-derived residues, or of-gasses from processes catalyzed by microorganisms. - Preparative liquid chromatograph (Äkta Explorer):
A preparative chromatograph equipped with a system for injection of large volumes of samples and an automatic fraction collector, and conductometric, UV absorbance and refractometric detectors. It allows the separation of various types of mixtures, including those of biological origin, and enables isolation and purification of their specific components. Depending on the characteristics of the separated mixture, different mechanisms are applied, such as ion exchange, size exclusion, affinity towards specific ligands, or absorption on octadecyl-functionalized silica (C18).