Abstract:
A method (101) of using an apparatus comprising a processor to determine a diffusion coefficient ( D ) of a solute in a solution flowing in a capillary, comprising: obtaining a first signal (501) comprising a plurality of measurements of solute concentration measured at a first measurement location corresponding with a first mean measurement time that is before a full dispersion condition is met;obtaining a second signal (502) comprising a plurality of measurements of solute concentration measured at a second measurement location corresponding with a second mean measurement time that is after the first mean measurement time and before a full dispersion condition is met; determining a first front amplitude A 1 of a solute front from the first signal (501); determining a second front amplitude A 2 of a solute front from the second signal (502), the second front amplitude corresponding to the arrival of fast moving molecules travelling at or near a central streamline at the second measurement location; calculating: an actual front height ratio A 2 /A 1 of the second front amplitude A 2 to the first front amplitude A 1 ; a convection front height ratio h expected for a pure convection regime; and a proportion f of the solute that dispersed between the first mean measurement time and the second mean measurement time, the proportion f calculated using the actual front height ratio A 2 /A 1 and the convection front height ratio h ;deriving a value of the diffusion coefficient ( D ) of the solute from a relationship between the proportion f and the diffusion coefficient, the relationship corresponding with the measurement conditions of the first and second signal.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for measuring the viscosity of a sample solution. A capillary (2) having first and second spaced apart detection windows (W1,W2) is filled with a carrier solution. A plug (4) or a continuous volume (4) of a sample solution is injected into the first end of the capillary (2) and pumped through the capillary (2) at a first pump pressure passing through the first and second detection windows (W1,W2). At least part of each detection window (W1,W2) is illuminated with a light source. Light from the light source passing through the carrier solution or the sample solution at each detector window (W1,W2) is detected using an array detector (6) comprising a two dimensional array of detector locations which generates an array detector output signal indicative of the profile of light absorbance of the sample solution plug (4) or flow front (4) passing through each detection window (W1,W2). From this the time difference between the time of detection of the sample solution plug (4) or flow front (4) at each detection window (W1,W2) is determined allowing the specific viscosity η sp of the sample solution to be calculated taking into account a known time difference between the time of detection at each detection window (W1,W2) for a plug (4) or flow front (4) of a reference sample solution whose viscosity is approximately equal to the viscosity of the carrier solution when pumped at the first pump pressure.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method of (and system for) characterising the permeation of a permeant of interest between a first liquid or semi-solid and a second liquid across an interface (eg through a membrane) by using UV imaging.