Unique Features Of The Technique:

This simple technique of size exclusion chromatography rapidly became very popular and almost became indispensable for biochemistry. Before we discuss some of its important applications, it might be desirable to look within the reasons for its fast adoption as a frontline chromatographic method. The technique is easy to perform. It is remarkably insensitive to the composition of the eluant and temperature. The added advantage is that very liable compounds can be fractionated without the fear of their destruction. The gel matrix generally does not cause denaturation and the experiment can be performed in very mild conditions.

The size exclusion chromatography can fractionate substances of very high molecular masses. By varying the contents of gel in gel matrix, the fractionation ranges can be varied within wide limits. The densest gels fractionate substances below molecular mass 1000 while there is gels whose fractionation range extends to several millions.

Using this technique, certain problems in biochemistry can be resolved in a simple way. Typical problems of this type are desalting of solutions of proteins and other high molecular mass substances and determination of molecular weights of macromolecules.  The chromatographic columns usually need no regeneration. They can be used over and again for a long duration of time without alteration in their chromatographic properties provided the microbial growth is avoided.