Chromatography system and method

Abstract

A chromatography system and method for analyzing a sample of interest. The chromatography system can include a housing, a cartridge holder coupled to the housing and formed to hold a chromatography cartridge containing a stationary phase, a collection vessel stand holder coupled to the housing and formed to hold a collection vessel stand, and a pump coupled to the housing. A fluid path can be coupled to the housing and can connect the pump to the cartridge holder to direct a mobile phase from the pump to the cartridge holder and can further connect the cartridge holder to the collection vessel stand holder to direct the mobile phase from the cartridge holder to the collection vessel stand holder. The chromatography system can further include a detector positioned along the fluid path between the cartridge holder and the collection vessel stand holder, and a controller integrally coupled to the housing.

1 . A method for analyzing a sample of interest using chromatography, the sample including fractions, the method comprising: 
 providing a controller;    providing a fluid path through which a mobile phase comprising the sample moves during chromatography;    moving the mobile phase through the fluid path in a chromatography run according to chromatography run parameters;    sending a signal to the controller at any time during the chromatography run to pause the chromatography run; and    editing the chromatography run parameters.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 separating the fractions of the sample,    detecting the fractions of the sample, and    selectively collecting fractions of the sample.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising resuming the chromatography run after editing the chromatography run parameters.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein editing the chromatography run parameters includes editing at least one of: 
 the flow rate of the mobile phase, any manually-entered information, a fraction collection mode, a fraction collection threshold, a fraction collection slope sensitivity, a solvent gradient of the mobile phase, and combinations thereof.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending a signal to the controller to pause the chromatography run includes activating a feature in a graphical user interface.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending a signal to the controller to pause the chromatography run includes sending a signal to a pump to pause movement of the mobile phase in the fluid path.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising separating the fractions of the sample by moving a mobile phase comprising the sample through a chromatography cartridge comprising a stationary phase.  
     
     
         8 . A method for analyzing a sample of interest using chromatography, the method comprising: 
 selecting a parameter for a chromatography run of the sample;    commencing the chromatography run according to the selected parameter;    transporting the sample through a fluid path in a chromatography system to perform the chromatography run;    pausing the chromatography run;    modifying the selected parameter of the chromatography run; and    recommencing the chromatography run according to the modified parameter.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the parameter is selected using a graphical user interface in communication with the chromatography system.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising, 
 separating the sample into a plurality of fractions,    detecting the fractions, and    determining a composition of at least one fraction.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein separating the sample includes moving the sample through a chromatography cartridge comprising a stationary phase.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising at least partially filling a vessel with a portion of the sample.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein modifying the selected parameter of the chromatography run includes modifying at least one of a flow rate of the sample, any manually-entered information, a fraction collection mode, a fraction collection threshold, a fraction collection slope sensitivity, a solvent gradient of the mobile phase, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein pausing the chromatography run includes instructing a pump in the chromatography system to pause movement of the sample in the fluid path.  
     
     
         15 . A method for analyzing a sample of interest using chromatography, the method comprising: 
 accessing a chromatography system to select a plurality of parameters of a chromatography run via a graphical user interface;    commencing the chromatography run for the sample of interest;    pausing the chromatography run via the graphical user interface;    modifying at least one of the selected parameters of the chromatography run;    recommencing the chromatography run according to the at least one modified parameter;    separating the sample into a plurality of fractions; and    collecting at least one of the fractions in a vessel.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein separating the sample into a plurality of fractions includes moving the sample through a chromatography cartridge.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein modifying at least one of the selected parameters of the chromatography run includes modifying at least one of a flow rate of the sample, any manually-entered information, a fraction collection mode, a fraction collection threshold, a fraction collection slope sensitivity, a solvent gradient of the mobile phase, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein pausing the chromatography run includes instructing a pump in the chromatography system to pause movement of the sample through a fluid path in the chromatography system.