The Size Exclusion Chromatography Kit teaches the basic principles of size exclusion chromatography, a type of column chromatography used to separate solubilized molecules by their size or molecular weight.

Features and Benefits

With this kit, students are able to:

• Separate a mixture of colored biomolecules
• Determine the number of components in a mixture
• Study the chemical and physical properties of biomolecules
• Apply the principles of chromatography

How It Works

In this laboratory activity, a mixture of colored molecules in solution, hemoglobin (reddish-brown; molecular mass of 65,000 Da) and vitamin B₁₂ (pink; molecular mass of 1,350 Da), is applied to a chromatography column containing microscopic porous beads. The contrasting colors are easily visible as the molecules pass through the column. The larger molecules bypass and flow around the beads. They are excluded from entering the pores by their size and flow through the column with relative speed. Smaller molecules enter the porous beads and are impeded in their flow through the column. The solutes' different rates of travel through the column lead to effective separation.

More Information

• One 45 min laboratory activity
• Provides sufficient materials for eight student workstations, up to four students per workstation