Detailed description of a simplified radio-liquid chromatograph

Abstract The details of a simplified radio-liquid chromatographic system for simultaneous recording of light absorbance and radioactivity of the eluate from liquid or gas chromatographic columns are described. The counting efficiency of the radiation detection system was dependent upon the relative flow-rates of the eluate and the scintillation mixture. A high counting efficiency was obtained with naphthalene in a dioxane type scintillation fluid. No change in efficiency was noted when nebulization and cavitation for more complete emulsification were omitted from the system. Overall counting efficiencies for the systems were 45.5% for tritiated materials and 82.7% for 14 C labelled materials. An interval of about 30s was required to obtain resolution between different patterns of radioactivity. The minimum volume of radioactive material needed for monitoring was 0.01 ml of 0.06 μCi per ml for tritiated materials. By simultaneous recording of light absorbance and radioactivity of different pyrimidine ribosides, 14 C-cytidine and and 3 H-uridine, good discrimination of beta energies were obtained and the counting efficiency was similar to that of a liquid scintillation counter.