Metrohm's Inline Ultrafiltration system has been designed to speed up sample preparation time for ion chromatography (IC).
The ultrafiltration system can be used with the Metrohm Inline Sample Preparation (MISP) system, which allows for full automation, speeding up sample preparation to free the end user to concentrate on other analytical tasks.
Metrohm Inline Ultrafiltration is recommended for use on light to moderately loaded samples (such as water samples, waste extracts and digestion solutions) and automates the previously manual step of sample filtration prior to IC analysis.
In terms of IC, it is always recommended to filter the sample before injection to prevent very small particles from entering the separating system, causing problems later in the process.
The separation column is the major consumable item with Metrohm IC.
Membrane filters with pore sizes of 0.45um or less are normally used for sample filtration, but these are relatively expensive and physically require a person to push the sample through the syringe, which can be time consuming for high-throughput systems.
Metrohm Inline Ultrafiltration is said to use standard low-cost 47mm-diameter membranes (0.2um pore size) and the whole procedure is automated once the sample is introduced onto the auto sampler (sample processor) carousel.
The ultrafiltration cell is mounted directly onto Metrohm sample processors and the bi-directional dual-channel peristaltic pump transfers the sample through the ultrafiltration cell and to the IC system.
The sample is continuously delivered at a high flow rate that delays the formation of a filter cake and increases the working life of the membrane.
Cross contamination is kept below 0.1 per cent.
Inline Ultrafiltration can be added to any Metrohm IC system (with the exception of the 792 Basic IC) and it is also possible to configure the system with third-party instruments.
