Patent ID: 6080590
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
An on-line continuous method for analyzing analytes in the effluent of a fractionation step which comprises the steps of(a) continuously adding a controlled amount of an affinity molecule capable of binding with the analytes of said effluent, thereby forming a first mixture,(b) continuously introducing said first mixture into a first means for a defined residence time, thereby permitting binding of said affinity molecule with analytes present in the effluent,(c) continuously adding a controlled amount of a detectable ligand to the product of step (b), at least a portion of said ligand being capable of binding with remaining affinity molecule, so forming a second mixture,(d) continuously introducing said second mixture into a second means for a defined residence time, so resulting in the formation of an affinity molecule-detectable ligand complex and unbound detectable ligand,(e) continuously introducing the effluent of step (d) into a restricted access module wherein the unbound detectable ligand is retained and the affinity molecule-detectable ligand complex forms a continuous effluent, and(f) detecting the amount of complex in said continuous effluent.