Patent ID: 7875162

Claim:
A columnar electrophoresis device for separating and purifying useful quantities of particles, comprising: a. an anolyte reservoir connected to an anode, the anolyte reservoir containing an electrophoresis buffer; b. a catholyte reservoir connected to a cathode, the catholyte reservoir also containing the electrophoresis buffer; c. a power supply connected to the anode and to the cathode; d. a column having a first end inserted into the anolyte reservoir, a second end inserted into the catholyte reservoir, and containing a separation medium; e. a light source; f. a first optical fiber having a first fiber end inserted into the separation medium for detection of a fluorescently-labeled particle on said column, and having a second fiber end connected to the light source; g. a photo detector and electronics configured for synchronous detection of the modulated fluorescence of a fluorescently-tagged particle; h. a second optical fiber having a third fiber end inserted into the separation medium, and having a fourth fiber end connected to the photo detector; and i. a macromolecule-impermeability membrane in the anolyte reservoir, that creates a collection reservoir within the anolyte reservoir that is significantly smaller than the separation media or the anolyte reservoir.