Patent ID: 6579720
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of identifying one or more compounds having a predetermined characteristic in a complex compound mixture, said method comprising(a) subjecting said compound mixture to a separation process using a first set of compound separation parameters to at least partially separate the compounds in the mixture into a series of separation variable-dependent fractions (Fa) in the order Fa1, Fa2, Fa3, . . . Fan wherein n is the number of fractions collected using said first set of separation variables, at least a portion of which fractions include one or more compounds of the compound mixture; (b) repeating step (a) using a second unique set of separation parameters to produce a second series of separation parameter-dependent fractions (Fb) in the order Fb1, Fb2, Fb3, . . . Fbm wherein m is the number of fractions collected using the second set of separation parameters; (c) combining each of the qth fractions obtained using each set of separation parameters, wherein q is the respective order number of the fractions obtained using each set of separation parameters, to provide combined qth fractions: (d) obtaining spectral data on compound components of each of said combined fractions, said data being characteristic of the compound or compounds in the combined fractions; (e) analyzing each combined fraction to detect the presence of the predetermined chemical, physical or biological characteristic and identifying each of those combined fractions that exhibit the predetermined characteristic; (f) comparing the spectral data for each of the combined fractions exhibiting the predetermined characteristic to identify spectral data common to each of said combined fractions that exhibit the predetermined characteristics; and (g) identifying the compound or compounds characterized by the spectral data common to the combined fractions exhibiting the predetermined characteristic in said combined fractions.