A chromatography detector is a device used in

gas chromatography Gas chromatography (GC) is a common type of chromatography used in analytical chemistry for separating and analyzing compounds that can be vaporized without decomposition. Typical uses of GC include testing the purity of a particular substance, ...

(GC) or

liquid chromatography In chemical analysis, chromatography is a laboratory technique for the Separation process, separation of a mixture into its components. The mixture is dissolved in a fluid solvent (gas or liquid) called the ''mobile phase'', which carries it ...

(LC) to detect components of the mixture being eluted off the chromatography column. There are two general types of detectors: destructive and non-destructive. The destructive detectors perform continuous transformation of the column effluent (burning, evaporation or mixing with reagents) with subsequent measurement of some physical property of the resulting material (plasma, aerosol or reaction mixture). The non-destructive detectors are directly measuring some property of the column eluent (for example UV absorption) and thus affords greater analyte recovery.

Destructive detectors

In liquid chromatography: *

Charged aerosol detector The Charged Aerosol Detector (CAD) is a detector used in conjunction with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) to measure the amount of chemicals in a sample by creating charged aero ...

(CAD) *

Evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) An evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) is a detector used in conjunction with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), Purification liquid chromatography such as flash or preparati ...

In gas chromatography: *

Flame ionization detector A flame ionization detector (FID) is a scientific instrument that measures analytes in a gas stream. It is frequently used as a detector in gas chromatography. The measurement of ion per unit time make this a mass sensitive instrument. Standal ...

(FID) * Flame photometric detector (FPD) * Nitrogen Phosphorus Detector (NPD) * Atomic-emission detector (AED) In all types of chromatography: *

Mass spectrometer Mass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical technique that is used to measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. The results are presented as a ''mass spectrum'', a plot of intensity as a function of the mass-to-charge ratio. Mass spectrometry is used ...

(MS)

Non-destructive detectors

In liquid chromatography: *

UV detectors An ultraviolet detector (also known as UV detector or UV-Vis detector) is a type of non-destructive chromatography detector which measures the amount of ultraviolet or visible light absorbed by components of the mixture being eluted off the chroma ...

, fixed or variable wavelength, which includes diode array detector (DAD or PDA). The UV absorption of the effluent is continuously measured at single or multiple wavelengths. These are by far most popular detectors for LC. * Fluorescence detector. Irradiates the effluent with a light of set wavelength and measure the fluorescence of the effluent at a single or multiple wavelength. *

Refractive index detector A differential refractometer (DRI), or refractive index detector (RI or RID) is a detector that measures the refractive index of an analyte relative to the solvent. They are often used as detectors for high-performance liquid chromatography and siz ...

(RI or RID). Continuously measures the refractive index of the effluent. The lowest sensitivity of all detectors. Often used in

size exclusion chromatography Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), also known as molecular sieve chromatography, is a chromatographic method in which molecules in solution are separated by their size, and in some cases molecular weight. It is usually applied to large molecules ...

for polymer analysis. * Radio flow detector. Measures radioactivity of the effluent. This detector can be destructive if a

scintillation cocktail Liquid scintillation counting is the measurement of radioactive activity of a sample material which uses the technique of mixing the active material with a liquid scintillator (e.g. zinc sulfide), and counting the resultant photon emissions. The pu ...

is continuously added to the effluent. * Chiral detector continuously measures the optical angle of rotation of the effluent. It is used only when chiral compounds are being analyzed. * Conductivity monitor. Continuously measures the conductivity of the effluent. Used only when conductive eluents (water or alcohols) are used. In gas chromatography: *

Thermal conductivity detector The thermal conductivity detector (TCD), also known as a katharometer, is a bulk property detector and a chemical specific detector commonly used in gas chromatography. This detector senses changes in the thermal conductivity of the column eluent an ...

, (TCD). Measures the thermal conductivity of the eluent. *

Electron capture detector An electron capture detector (ECD) is a device for detecting atoms and molecules in a gas through the attachment of electrons via electron capture ionization. The device was invented in 1957 by James Lovelock and is used in gas chromatography to d ...

, (ECD). The most sensitive detector known. Allows for the detection of organic molecules containing halogen, nitro groups etc. *

Photoionization detector A photoionization detector or PID is a type of gas detector. Typical photoionization detectors measure volatile organic compounds and other gases in concentrations from sub parts per billion to 10 000 parts per million (ppm). The photoionization ...

, (PID). Measures the increase in conductivity achieved by ionizing the effluent gas with UV radiation. * Olfactometric detector. Assesses the odour activity of the eluent using human assessors.

References

{{Reflist Chromatography Detectors