| MadSci Network: Biochemistry |
Seems almost like doing homework. Oh well.
On the other hand, I start this answer by saying I have no idea! I'm looking at (and making a minor edit to) this wikipedia entry :
...and this random hit from google :
However, that's not much use. Reminds me how to do it, of course. Also, the general idea of chromatography is useful; the mixture to be separated generally moves through the mobile phase (of course...) and falls out into the stationary phase.
So, to be reproducible, different elements of the mix must move by the same amount in the mobile phase, to fall out into the stationary at the same point every time. The phases must therefore be as uniform as possible. External conditions (temperature, pressure) should be the same - as of course should gravity! So a tipped-up tlc plate will run different to a flat one, I suppose.
Aha! this gives a list of 'important parameters' - which includes those important for reproducibility. I hadn't considered 'flow velocity', although this makes sense since I suppose a faster flow will deposit elements of the mix further downstream. Of course, another is detection of the bands/spots in chromatography; the method to analyze these needs to be precise.
There may be other factors...
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