méretkizáró

Méretkizáró, often translated as "size exclusion" or "gel filtration" chromatography, is a separation technique used to separate molecules based on their size. In this method, a stationary phase consisting of porous beads is used. The pores within these beads have a specific range of sizes. When a mixture of molecules is passed through the column, smaller molecules can enter the pores and thus spend more time interacting with the stationary phase. Larger molecules, being too big to enter the pores, pass through the column more quickly, eluting first. Smaller molecules, which are retained longer within the pores, elute later.

The stationary phase is typically a gel material, such as dextran, agarose, or polyacrylamide. The choice of gel material and the pore size distribution are critical for effective separation. The mobile phase, usually an aqueous buffer, carries the sample through the column. Méretkizáró chromatography is particularly useful for separating proteins, nucleic acids, and other macromolecules. It is often employed in biochemistry and molecular biology for purification, desalting, and analysis of biological samples. The technique is also sometimes referred to as size exclusion chromatography (SEC) or gel permeation chromatography (GPC), with the latter term often used for separating polymers in organic solvents. The principle relies on the difference in hydrodynamic volume of the molecules in solution.