GB1150722A - Electrophoretic Separation Apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,150,722. Electro-phoretic separation. NATIONAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CORP. May 4, 1966 [Feb. 5, 19651, No. 5213/65. Heading C7B. A method of electro-phoretic separation includes the steps of providing a main stream of restricted thickness of migrant-containing electrolyte, establishing a potential gradient across the thickness of the main stream and selectively removing separated fractions of the migrant from the main stream, the restricted thickness of the main stream being sufficiently small substantially to prevent turbulence in the electrolyte and the migrant. The migrant may be dissolved or suspended in the electrolyte and may consist of a mixture of proteins or biological cells or dye stuffs. Fig. 1 shows an annular main flow channel 8 whereas Fig. 4 (not shown) illustrates a planar main flow channel, the channels having porous walls. The migrant flows upwardly through the channel 8 between electrodes 16 and is electrophoretically separated into fractions which are taken from the apparatus at 23, 24 and 21. The migrant is introduced into the main flow channel 8 through a porous disc 19 and during its flow through the channel 8 is bounded by inner and/or outer dilute electrolyte layers introduced into the main flow channel 8 through inlets 17 and 18. The migrant and these layers together provide the main stream of migrantcontaining electrolyte. Further inlets and outlets supply concentrated electrolyte to and remove it from electrode chambers 6, 10. Some electrolyte percolates from the electrode chambers into the main flow channel 8. Fresh dilute electrolyte is supplied into the main flow channel at 20 and is arranged to be greater than the total liquid removed at outlets 23 and 24. Additional dilute electrolyte may be supplied through inlet 22 to prevent turbulence. As an alternative to feeding the migrant and dilute electrolytic liquids through porous walls, an arrangement such as illustrated in Fig. 3 (not shown) may be used. Outflow channels from the main flow channel 8 may be designed similarly. Amongst materials specified for the porous walls of the channel 8 are sintered acrylic or polystyrene granules. Gas bubbles in the concentrated electrolyte in the electrode chambers may be kept small by the addition of a small quantity of detergent. Foam so produced may be dispersed by a foam dispenser such as n-octanol or n-hexanol. In order to know through which exit feeds the migrants are going, they may be observed by absorption or scattering or refraction of light.