Getting Started in HPLC
Introduction
| Welcome to the
world of HPLC! At this point you may be wondering: "What's
so special?" Right now - in your laboratory - this
method of chemical analysis might be just an ancillary
technique . . . or simply a job. But HPLC can be much
more. First of all, today it is the most widely used
technique of its kind for separating and analyzing
mixtures of chemical substances. Individual compounds in
a sample can be identified, and their concentrations can
be measured accurately and precisely - often within a few
minutes. And the technique can be applied to just about
every kind of sample.
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| A second feature of HPLC is
that it can work with rather simple equipment, and often with minimal
training of the operator. This means that it is possible to get good
results fairly quickly after getting started. Remember the old piece
of practical advice: KISS or "Keep It Simple, Stupid"? For
many applications, HPLC allows us to keep everything simple . . . and
more reliable.
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| Another aspect
of HPLC is that it can be even more powerful and
efficient when we really know what is going on - and when
we have more sophisticated equipment. Today there is an
enormous amount of information available to allow us to
get the most out of this technique. It is possible to
spend literally a lifetime becoming an expert in HPLC.
And there are excellent opportunities as our skill in
this method advances: we can tackle increasingly more
complex problems in chemical analysis, and jobs for
people with these skills have been abundant since the
introduction of HPLC in the late 1960s.
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| So the present
on-line course is your introduction to an important area
of science, one that may blossom into a lifetime career.
Whatever your intentions are at the moment, it is
possible to build your skills in HPLC for application in
many different ways and for different goals. Welcome
again, and good luck as you progress on this journey.
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