HPLCn

HPLCn, or High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with n-dimensional separation, is an advanced analytical technique used in chemistry and biochemistry to separate, identify, and quantify each component in a mixture. It is an extension of traditional High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), which typically uses a single column for separation. In HPLCn, multiple columns with different separation mechanisms are employed in series or in parallel, significantly enhancing the separation power and resolution.

The 'n' in HPLCn denotes the number of dimensions or columns used in the separation process. For instance, two-dimensional HPLC (2D-HPLC) uses two columns, while three-dimensional HPLC (3D-HPLC) uses three, and so on. Each dimension provides an additional level of separation, allowing for the resolution of complex mixtures that would be challenging or impossible to separate using a single column.

HPLCn is particularly useful in proteomics, metabolomics, and other fields where the analysis of complex biological samples is required. It can separate a wide range of compounds, including proteins, peptides, amino acids, and small molecules. The technique is highly sensitive and can detect compounds at very low concentrations.

The main challenge in HPLCn is the compatibility of the different separation mechanisms used in each dimension. The mobile phase from the first dimension must be compatible with the second dimension, and so on. Despite this challenge, HPLCn is a powerful tool for analytical chemists, providing high-resolution separation and detailed analysis of complex mixtures.