Project Title: Automated Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) Plate Processing Addition to Plate Express
Project Summary: Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is a standardized analytical technique employed by synthetic organic chemists to detect molecules of interest. Advion’s Plate Express extracts the molecules of interest from a TLC plate and sends them directly to a mass spectrometer after the necessary processing has been completed by hand. This team sought to automate the processing of the TLC plates by integrating UV lights, a camera, and an XY table into the Plate Express, using code to detect and move the spots of interest into place under the extraction head. The automation of the TLC plate processing will save time and lessen the probability of contamination or human error affecting the
compound of interest. Their updated prototype includes a new cover that fully encapsulates the added components to satisfy pinching and UV light exposure safety standards.
