Methods and apparatus for analyzing samples and collecting sample fractions

1. A method of detecting and collecting one or more sample components within a first sample stream in a chromatography system during a chromatographic run comprising:

separating one or more sample components from a fluid mixture using a chromatography column to form the first sample stream;

separating the first sample stream into two distinct streams by actively moving a portion of the first sample stream to a second sample stream, which is in fluid communication with at least one destructive detector, including at least one evaporative particle detector;

generating a first signal during the chromatographic run from the destructive detector;

generating a second signal during the chromatographic run from at least one non-destructive detector, which is in fluid communication with either said first stream or said second stream; and

collecting the one or more components from the first sample stream in a fraction collector during the chromatographic run in response to a change in at least one of the signals during said chromatographic run.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of said signals comprises:

(i) detector response values for the respective generating detector at a given time,

(ii) the first derivatives of said detector response values at a given time,

(iii) the second derivatives of said detector response values at a given time, or

(iv) any combination of (i) to (iii).

3. The method of claim 1 , including at least one destructive detector selected from the group consisting of evaporative light scattering detectors (ELSD), mass spectrometers (MS), condensation nucleation light scattering detectors (CNLSD), and corona discharge detectors.

4. The method of claim 1 , including at least one non-destructive detector selected from the group consisting of optical absorbance detectors, refractive index detectors (RID), fluorescence detectors (FD), chiral detectors (CD), and conductivity detectors.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-destructive detector comprises at least one optical absorbance detector.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the optical absorbance detector observes two or more optical wavelengths so as to produce two or more detector response values.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the evaporative particle detector comprises an evaporative light scattering detector.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the evaporative particle detector comprises an evaporative light scattering detector and the non-destructive detector comprises at least one optical absorbance detector.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of actively moving is performed with use of

a splitter pump;

a shuttle valve; or

a combination of a splitter pump and a shuttle valve;

wherein the splitter pump, the shuttle valve, or the combination are in fluid communication with the at least one destructive detector.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said step of actively moving comprises moving an aliquot from the first sample stream at a frequency of at least 1 aliquot every 10 seconds.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1 .

12. An apparatus for detecting a sample using the method of claim 1 .

13. A chromatographic apparatus for detecting and collecting one or more components within a first sample stream during a chromatographic run comprising:

a chromatography column in fluid communication with the first sample stream;

an active splitter that separates the first sample stream into two distinct streams by moving a portion of the first sample stream to a second sample stream, which is in fluid communication with at least one destructive detector, including at least one evaporative particle detector, to generate a response value during the chromatographic run;

at least one non-destructive detector in fluid communication with the first or second sample stream to generate a response value during the chromatographic run;

a processor to receive said response values and to generate a first signal from the response value received from said destructive detector and to generate a second signal from the response values received from said non-destructive detector; and

a fraction collector to collect at least one fraction corresponding to at least one of said components in response to a change in at least one of said signals during said chromatographic run.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein each of said signals comprises:

(i) detector response values for the respective generating detector at a given time,

(ii) the first derivatives of detector response values at a given time,

(iii) the second derivatives of said detector response values at a given time, or

(iv) any combination of (i) to (iii).

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , including at least one destructive detector selected from the group consisting of evaporative light scattering detectors (ELSD), mass spectrometers (MS), condensation nucleation light scattering detectors (CNLSD), and corona discharge detectors.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , including at least one non-destructive detector selected from the group consisting of optical absorbance detectors, refractive index detectors (RID), fluorescence detectors (FD), chiral detectors (CD), and conductivity detectors.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the non-destructive detector includes at least one optical absorbance detector.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the optical absorbance detector is adapted to observe two or more optical wavelengths so as to produce two or more detector response values.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the evaporative particle detector comprises an evaporative light scattering detector.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said active splitter comprises

a splitter pump;

a shuttle valve; or

a combination of a splitter pump and a shuttle valve;

wherein the splitter pump, the shuttle valve, or the combination are in fluid communication with the at least one destructive detector.