CAMAG to Showcase the TLC Interface and VISUALIZER at Arablab 2010

Speak to representatives at booth 127 to find out more about the TLC-MS Interface and the TLC VISUALIZER. Learn how the Interface provides rapid and convenient substance extractions directly into MS systems and discover more about the new VISUALIZER digital imaging system for TLC/HPTLC, the successor of the DigiStore series.

TLC-MS Interface
TLC-MS Interface is a versatile instrument to extract compounds from a TLC/HPTLC plate and feed them into a mass spectrometer for substance identification or structure elucidation. It can be connected to any brand of LC-coupled mass spectrometer.

Surveys have shown that not all samples may be processed by HPLC-MS or HPLC-DAD systems because of no or low detection of the compounds or impurities in the UV range, a heavy matrix load or a lack of MS compatible solvents, however necessary for the HPLC separation. Alternatively HPTLC is a very fast and convenient method to separate samples. In the past unknown substances were scraped off from TLC/HPTLC plate, eluted into a tube and transferred into the MS. The universal TLC-MS Interface can now semi-automatically extract zones of interest and direct them online into a any brand of HPLC-MS system.

The device is quickly and easily connected (by two fittings) to any LC-coupled mass spectrometer without adjustments or mass spectrometer modifications. Questioned substances are directly extracted from a TLC/HPTLC plate and sensitive mass spectrometric signals are obtained within a minute per substance zone. The interface extracts the complete substance zone with its depth profile and thus allows detections comparable to HPLC down to the pg/zone range.

The interface features plug-and-play installation by two HPLC fittings at a given HPLC-MS system, semi-automatic instrumentation involving automatic piston movement for pressure seal of the TLC/HPTLC zone on both glass plates and aluminium foils, extraction directly from the plate using a suitable solvent delivered by the HPLC pump, and automatic cleaning of the elution head between the extraction and online transfer to the mass spectrometer.

The instrument extracts circular zones of 4 mm diameter or oval zones 2 mm x 4 mm from a TLC/HPTLC plate; for example with methanol or any other appropriate solvent, using the standard flow speed of the HPLC-MS system (e.g. 0.1 mL/min). Additional extraction head geometries will be available. Materials include plates or aluminium foils up to 20 x 20 cm can be positioned accurately and analysed zone by zone. The semi-automatic instrument involves automatic head movement, automatic cleaning of the piston, manual positioning and switching.

TLC VISUALIZER
The visual impression provided by a TLC plate showing all samples and standards side-by-side is one of the most convincing arguments to employ Thin-Layer Chromatography. No other chromatographic technique can directly express the result as a color image and make it available for visual evaluation.

CAMAG TLC VISUALIZER, the new evaluation, visualization and archiving system delivers reproducible images with a dynamic sensitivity surpassing the human eye. The powerful and fast high-res 12bit CCD camera with 4095 linear intensity levels and the newly designed illumination unit in combination with outstanding CAMAG software features produce images of highest quality ever in this field.
Optional ‘Professional Image Enhancement’ provides advanced background plate correction which eliminates all plate inhomogeneities; the built-in matrix color correction makes true, natural colors possible. The results are images of superb quality for qualitative and quantitative chromatogram evaluation.

Illumination modes of CAMAG TLC VISUALIZER are visible/white light, UV254, UV366, visible/white transmitted light. Ergonomically designed CAMAG TLC VISUALIZER and winCATS software is compliant with GMP/GLP; IQ/OQ qualification and 21CFR11 are provided.