Ask an Expert: Dive deeper into multi-detection OMNISEC samples analysis

von Stefan Cairns, Wednesday, 18th August 2021

If only I asked an expert earlier…

Sometime before I joined Malvern Panalytical, my Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) knowledge level was quite low. When I was using a GPC system to analyze the polymers, synthesizing it wasn’t a cerebral process. I set up calibration and set my baselines and limits around my sample. I then copied the molecular weight data I produced and pasted it against the experiment I had done. When unexpected results came out I would normally try and repeat the whole experiment. I would presume that was where the problem was.

But there was always so much more available at my fingers tips that could have helped me understand more about the analysis, and I could have extracted much more detail from my samples than just the molecular weights. For example, little did I know that I could have used just the RALS detector for the analysis of my weakly scattering low molecular weight samples. I could have done so by deselecting the LALS detector. And I wish I had known that I could have had a graph for making a structural comparison of my crosslinked samples with a click of a button.

Trying not to blame it on my own ignorance and shipping the blame on, I would like to say that one of the problems I had was that there wasn’t someone who could help me to scrutinize the data. Or that is what I thought at least. I had never realized the resources available if I had contacted the technical support people in Malvern Panalytical.

Get your questions answered

I am not saying that you must have as low a level as I did at that time to make reaching out to us worthwhile. It is quite the contrary, as we relish the opportunity to advise on any level of user. We are hosting an ‘Ask an Expert!’ webinar for you to be able to have your questions answered. Additionally, we want to share with you the methods we use to ensure that we get the best data quality, we have trust in the results we produce, and explore the data to its fullest extent.

Come along to learn more about how to critically analyze your samples and the chromatograms you are producing. If you’re reading this and there is a question that comes to mind that you would like the answer to, please allow us to help answer it for you. Send us your questions via askanexpert@malvernpanalytical.com or by using the #MPexpert hashtag on Twitter. We hope to take the time to deliver complete answers to those questions we receive in advance but there will also be an opportunity to ask us questions during the webinar.

This webinar will not cover the basics in any great detail though. If you think you would benefit from a refresher in advance of this webinar, I would highly recommend watching this first video in our YouTube playlist GPC/SEC Expert Advice:

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