Method and apparatus for chromatography analysis and hydrolysis of peptides

Claim 1

IN THE CHROMATOGRAPHY ANALYSIS OF PEPTIDES, THE METHOD WHICH COMPRISES STRIPPING THE COLUMN CONTAINING THE PEPTIDES BY TRANSMITTING AN ELUENT DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE COLUMN AND DISCHARGING THE PEPTIDE CONTAINING ELUENT FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE COLUMN, CONCURRENTLY FORMING IN A TUBING A LIQUID STREAM IN WHICH SAID DISCHARGED ELUENT AND PEPTIDE ALKALINE-HYDROLYZING REAGENT ARE PRESENT, INTRODUCING NITROGEN INTO SAID STREAM THEREBY FORMING A FLUID STREAM IN SAID TUBING COMPRISING SPACED SEGMENTS OF SAID LIQUID SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER BY INTERVENING SEGMENTS OF NITROGEN, AND PASSING SAID SEGMENTED STREAM THROUGH A HEATING BATH TO HYDROLYZE SAID PEPTIDES BY THE ACTION OF HEAT AND SAID REAGENT THEREON, SAID REAGENT BEING SUPPLIED THROUGH A SEPARATE TUBE TO SAID TUBING BY PUMP MEANS WHICH TRANSMITS SAID DISCHARGED ELUENT TO SAID TUBING, AND PASSING SAID LUQUID STREAM THOUGH ALKALINE RESISTANT TUBING OF A HEATING BATH WHILE PROVIDING A REDUCTION IN THE RATE OF SUPPLY OF SAID REAGENT IN RESPONSE TO AN INCREASE IN THE BACKPRESSURE AT SAID HEATING BATH.