What is the Difference Between HPLC and Fast HPLC?

The main difference between High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography (FPLC) lies in their applications and the molecules they are designed to separate.

HPLC is an analytical technique used primarily for quantitative and qualitative analysis of liquid molecules, such as small chemical compounds. It works with high pressure to analyze these small molecules and uses solvents for the mobile phase. HPLC is considered an analytical technique.

FPLC, on the other hand, is a purification technique used to separate and purify large biomolecules, such as proteins, nucleotides, and peptides. It uses salt buffers for the mobile phase and several purification methods, including ion-exchange, gel filtration, and affinity. FPLC systems also monitor pH and conductivity, in addition to UV absorption.

Some key differences between HPLC and FPLC include:

Application: HPLC is used for analyzing small molecular weight compounds, while FPLC is used for purifying large biomolecules.
Mobile Phase: HPLC uses solvents for the mobile phase, while FPLC uses salt buffers.
Purification Methods: FPLC employs various purification methods, such as ion-exchange, gel filtration, and affinity, while HPLC primarily uses reversed-phase chromatography.
Pressure: FPLC operates at lower pressures compared to HPLC.

In summary, HPLC is an analytical technique used to separate and analyze small molecules, while FPLC is a purification technique designed to isolate and purify large biomolecules. They use different methods, mobile phases, and operate at different pressures.