Liquid Chromatography Automatic System with Optical Activity Laser Detector and Its Applications

A new liquid chromatographic system with polarimetric detection and a computer program allowing the output of chromatograms to a display on line and electronic data storing was designed, built and put to work. The chromatographic system includes the laser polarimetric detector, having a measuring interval of one second, the chromatographic columns, the continuous flux polarimeter tubes of 50 and 100 mm, the programs for data acquisition, processing and storing, and the technical know-how for its most efficiently application. 30 min is all the time needed to obtain a chromatogram by this method which is reasonably shorter than the time required for any other known comparable technique, and offering, besides, lower operation cost. The combination of molecular exclusion liquid chromatography and laser polarimetric detection has turned into a carbohydrate separation and quantification system of basic importance for the evaluation of plants fluids of industrial interest (sugarcane, agave, vegetable extracts, etc.). It is described here the application of this system as an early or complementary indicator of leaf scald —disease that affects sugarcane plants. Another application on algae extracts gave good results in the separation and identification of biologically active components. The introduction of this system in several research centers in Cuba and abroad has resulted in practical information for the industry.