The FILAB laboratory supports you in the identification and quantification of chemical compounds, even at trace levels.
From impurity screening to quality control and regulatory validation, we meet your industrial challenges with precision, reliability, and responsiveness.
What is a chromatographic analysis?
Chromatographic analysis is a physico-chemical method for separating the different components of a mixture. It is based on the differential distribution of substances between two phases: a stationary phase and a mobile phase.
How chromatographic analysis works
The principle of chromatography is based on the difference in affinity of the mixture's components for the stationary phase and the mobile phase. The sample to be analyzed is first introduced into the chromatographic system.
- Mobile phase: this is a fluid (liquid or gas) that carries the sample through the system.
- Stationary phase (column) : this is a fixed material (solid or liquid immobilized on a support) that interacts with the sample components.
The different components of the mixture migrate at different speeds. Those with a strong affinity for the stationary phase are retained longer and move more slowly, while those with a greater affinity for the mobile phase move more quickly. This difference in migration speed allows them to be separated and detected individually at the system outlet.
Objectives of chromatographic analysis
Chromatographic analysis can meet different needs depending on the industrial context:
- Qualitative identification: determine the nature and identity of substances present in a sample, even at trace levels, to confirm a composition or identify a contaminant.
- Quantitative determination: precisely measure the concentration of each detected compound to ensure regulatory compliance, adherence to product specifications, or process monitoring.
- Separation and purification: isolate a compound of interest or eliminate unwanted impurities, particularly during R&D studies or the development of new formulations.
FILAB, expert in chromatographic analysis, supports you in your analysis
The different types of chromatographic analysis carried out at FILAB
There are several types of chromatography, classified according to the state of the mobile phase:
- Gas Chromatography (GC): this applies to volatile molecules, and the mobile phase is an inert gas (He, Hydrogen, etc.)
- Liquid Chromatography (LC): this applies to high-molecular-weight, water-soluble molecules, and the mobile phase is a liquid
- Ionic Liquid Chromatography (LIC): this applies to ions (anions or cations), and the mobile phase is a liquid
Ion exchange chromatography analysis
Iodine analysis by ion chromatography
- Preparative chromatography: isolation and purification of compounds of interest.
Preparative chromatography analysis
Each method is adapted to your matrices (liquids, solids, polymers, finished products, etc.) and your regulatory requirements.
For even greater precision: our chromatography techniques are coupled with detectors
to go further
Customized chromatography training for your teams
Support in analytical R&D (method development, validation according to standards)
FAQ
Chromatography is an essential laboratory method for many reasons:
- Qualitative analysis: it identifies the nature of the substances present in a sample.
- Quantitative analysis: it determines the quantity of each substance in a mixture.
- Purification: it can be used to isolate a specific compound from a complex mixture.
This technique is crucial in fields such as drug quality control.
A standard chromatography system consists of:
- An injector: to introduce the sample into the system.
- A column: which contains the stationary phase and where the separation takes place.
- An oven (in GC) or a pump (in HPLC): to control the temperature or flow rate of the mobile phase.
- A detector: which measures the compounds at the column outlet.
- A data acquisition system: to record and analyze the detector signal, producing a chromatogram.
A chromatogram is the graphical result of a chromatographic analysis. It represents the detector signal as a function of time. Each peak on the chromatogram corresponds to a separate and identified compound. The peak position (retention time) and its area are crucial information for qualitative and quantitative analysis.
In an industrial context, chromatographic analysis is often requested following a quality or production issue.
For example, when identifying impurities in a raw material, regulatory non-compliance related to the presence of solvent residues, or customer complaints regarding the odor, color, or stability of a finished product.
It is also used in the event of process failures (cross-contamination, substance migration, corrosion) or during the development of new formulations requiring detailed characterization of all components.
In each of these cases, chromatography allows you to quickly identify the cause and secure your production by providing accurate, usable results that comply with regulatory requirements.
Our chromatographic analysis services cover a wide range of industrial sectors:
- Pharmaceutical industry: quality control, impurity determination, stability studies.
- Cosmetics: preservative determination, raw material analysis, pollutant detection.
- Chemistry & polymers: formulation characterization, process monitoring, cleaning validation.
- Energy & nuclear: specific ion determination, corrosion monitoring, regulatory control.
This versatility makes chromatography an essential control and R&D technique in many fields.
Chromatography is suitable for many samples: liquids, powders, polymers, finished products, raw materials, effluents, etc. At the FILAB laboratory, we adapt the preparation and the method according to the nature of your matrix.
- HPLC/UPLC separates and measures non-volatile molecules in the liquid phase.
- GC (gas chromatography) analyzes volatile or semi-volatile compounds.
- Ion chromatography measures the concentration of anions and cations in an aqueous sample.
The choice of technique depends on several criteria:
- The nature of the compound to be analyzed: volatile (→ gas chromatography), non-volatile or heat-sensitive (→ HPLC/UPLC), ionic (→ ion chromatography).
- The objective of the analysis: qualitative identification, quantitative determination, separation/purification.
- The sample matrix: liquid, solid, polymer, finished product.
- The regulatory and normative constraints associated with your sector (pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, environment, etc.).
At the FILAB laboratory, our experts advise you and select the most appropriate method to guarantee reliable, usable results that meet your industrial requirements.
