Machinery Masters is a marketplace for new and used chromatography systems, including HPLC, UHPLC, gas chromatography, LC-MS, and GPC/SEC instruments that separate, identify, and quantify compounds in complex samples. A chromatography system pairs a separation technique with a detector to resolve the components of a mixture and measure them precisely, which makes it the cornerstone instrument of pharmaceutical method development, impurity profiling, stability testing, and bioanalysis.

Buyers include analytical and QC chemists, mass spectrometry and bioanalysis scientists, and procurement teams sourcing GMP-compliant equipment. Browse verified sellers to compare technique, detector, software version, condition, and price before you buy.

Shop Chromatography Systems by Type

Chromatography systems are available across liquid, gas, and mass-spectrometry-coupled techniques, each suited to different analytes, sample types, and sensitivity requirements. Selecting the correct system keeps the separation mode and detector matched to your method and regulatory context. The main differences between configurations relate to whether the separation is in the liquid or gas phase, the operating pressure and speed, the detector, and whether the system is analytical, preparative, or process scale.

HPLC Systems

High-performance liquid chromatography systems separate compounds in the liquid phase and are the workhorse of pharmaceutical and analytical laboratories. With modular pumps, autosamplers, and UV, diode-array, or fluorescence detectors, HPLC systems handle assay, impurity profiling, and stability testing across virtually every regulated laboratory.

UHPLC Systems

Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography systems operate at higher pressures with sub-2-micron particle columns, delivering faster separations and sharper peaks than conventional HPLC. They suit high-throughput laboratories and demanding separations where speed and resolution matter, and their methods are often transferable to and from HPLC.

Gas Chromatography (GC) Systems

Gas chromatography systems separate volatile and semi-volatile compounds in the gas phase, using detectors such as FID and thermal conductivity. They are essential for residual solvent testing, volatile impurity analysis, and environmental and food work wherever compounds can be vaporised without decomposition.

LC-MS and GC-MS Systems

Mass-spectrometry-coupled systems combine chromatographic separation with mass detection for definitive identification and trace-level quantification. LC-MS and GC-MS deliver the sensitivity and specificity required for bioanalysis, metabolite identification, residue testing, and impurity characterisation that optical detectors cannot reach alone.

GPC/SEC and Ion Chromatography Systems

Gel permeation and size-exclusion systems separate molecules by size for polymer molecular-weight and protein aggregation analysis, while ion chromatography systems separate and quantify ionic species. Both provide specialised selectivity for characterising polymers, biomolecules, and ionic analytes that reversed-phase methods do not address.

Preparative and Process Chromatography Systems

Preparative and process systems scale chromatographic separation up to purify and collect material at development and manufacturing volumes. Larger pumps, columns, and fraction collectors recover purified compound in usable quantity, supporting downstream biopharmaceutical purification and compound isolation.

Chromatography Systems Brands on Machinery Masters

Machinery Masters lists chromatography systems from established separation science and mass-spectrometry manufacturers, so you can source a specific make and model or compare comparable systems across sellers.

Agilent Technologies
Waters Corporation
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Shimadzu
PerkinElmer
Bruker
SCIEX
Gilson
Knauer
Bio-Rad

Chromatography Systems Applications and Uses

Chromatography systems are deployed wherever compounds must be separated, identified, and quantified across pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, environmental, and research work. Requirements depend on the analyte, the sensitivity needed, and the accreditation framework the laboratory works within.

Pharmaceutical Quality Control and Method Development

Pharmaceutical laboratories use HPLC and UHPLC systems for assay, impurity profiling, and stability testing across development and release. The validated data these systems generate underpins batch release, so system reliability, qualification, and method robustness are central selection criteria.

Mass Spectrometry and Bioanalysis

Bioanalytical and research laboratories use LC-MS and GC-MS to identify and quantify analytes at trace levels in complex matrices. The sensitivity and specificity of mass detection support pharmacokinetic studies, metabolite identification, and impurity characterisation that optical detection cannot achieve.

Environmental and Food Residue Testing

Environmental and food laboratories use GC, GC-MS, and LC-MS systems to detect residues, contaminants, and additives against regulatory limits. High sensitivity and reliable quantification support the monitoring and compliance programmes these sectors depend on.

Biopharmaceutical and Polymer Characterisation

Biopharmaceutical and materials laboratories use GPC/SEC and ion chromatography to characterise molecular size, aggregation, and ionic content. These specialised separations provide the data needed to assess product quality and consistency in biomolecules and polymers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between HPLC and gas chromatography?

HPLC separates compounds dissolved in a liquid mobile phase and suits a very wide range of analytes, including large, polar, and thermally unstable molecules. Gas chromatography separates compounds in a gas phase and suits volatile and semi-volatile compounds that can be vaporised without decomposing. In short, HPLC handles most liquid-soluble compounds, while GC handles volatiles, and the two techniques are complementary.

What is the difference between HPLC and UHPLC?

UHPLC operates at higher pressures, above 600 bar, using sub-2-micron particle columns to deliver faster separations and sharper, better-resolved peaks than conventional HPLC. HPLC remains the widely installed standard and is compatible with most existing methods. Methods can often be transferred between the two, provided differences such as system dwell volume are accounted for.

What is LC-MS and what is it used for?

LC-MS couples liquid chromatography with a mass spectrometer, so compounds are first separated and then identified and quantified by their mass. It provides much greater sensitivity and specificity than optical detection, which makes it essential for bioanalysis, pharmacokinetics, metabolite identification, and trace impurity and residue analysis in complex samples.

What should I consider when buying a chromatography system?

Match the technique and detector to your analytes, choosing among HPLC, UHPLC, GC, LC-MS, and specialised modes, then check the pump, autosampler, detector, and software against your methods and throughput. For regulated use, confirm qualification support and 21 CFR Part 11 compliant software. For a used system, verify the software version, service history, and manufacturer support. Confirm the specification with the seller before you buy.

Can used chromatography systems be used in a regulated laboratory?

Yes, provided the system undergoes complete requalification against your specifications before use in regulated analysis. Request the full service and calibration history, confirm the manufacturer still supports the model, and verify that the required software versions and validation documentation are available. A well-documented used system is a cost-effective route to validated analytical capacity.

Where can I buy chromatography systems on Machinery Masters?

Browse Machinery Masters for new and used HPLC, UHPLC, GC, LC-MS, GC-MS, GPC/SEC, and ion chromatography systems from verified sellers worldwide. Use the search and filter tools to narrow by technique, brand, and specification, then contact sellers directly to request qualification records, service history, and technical specifications before you buy.

Chromatography Systems (HPLC, UHPLC, GC, LCMS, GPC-SEC)

Chromatography Systems (HPLC, UHPLC, GC, LCMS, GPC-SEC)