Used Lab Chromatography Instruments

Chromatography instruments separate a sample into its components so each one can be measured or collected. Gas chromatographs vaporize the sample and carry it through a heated column, which makes them a standard tool for volatile, thermally stable compounds and for residual solvent testing. Liquid chromatography systems pump a liquid mobile phase, carrying the injected sample, through a packed column instead. Bench-scale units such as the Cytiva ÄKTA family are widely used to purify proteins.

Federal Equipment Company stocks used chromatography instruments for the analytical and research lab, as part of our used lab equipment inventory. The selection covers gas chromatographs and GC-MS systems, bench-scale protein purification systems, flash chromatography units, detectors, and switching valves. Brands we see regularly include Agilent, Shimadzu, Cytiva, GE Healthcare, and Hewlett Packard. Most units are held at our Cleveland, OH facility. For HPLC and UPLC systems, see our used HPLC systems. For production-scale columns and skids, see our used process chromatography equipment.

Can't Find What You Need?

Request Sourcing Help Tell us the technique, the model or module configuration, and the detectors you need. We will look for it across our network.

Sell Your Equipment We buy surplus GC systems, protein purification systems, and other lab chromatography instruments outright. Send us a list, and we will make an offer.

Browse our selection below and request a quote for more information regarding our Used Lab Chromatography Instruments.

You can also view our full on-hand inventory across all categories.

The main parts of a gas chromatograph are an inlet, a column in a temperature-controlled oven, and a detector. In most configurations, the inlet vaporizes the sample, and a carrier gas sweeps it through the column. Compounds leave the column at different times depending on how strongly they interact with the stationary phase. Adding a mass selective detector turns the system into a GC-MS, which identifies compounds as well as measuring them. Autosamplers and headspace samplers handle sample introduction, and they are often what makes a GC fit a lab's workflow.

Bench-scale liquid chromatography systems for protein work typically run at lower pressure than HPLC. A system pumps buffer through a packed column, monitors what comes off it, and, with a fraction collector fitted, sends each peak to its own tube. These systems run separations including affinity, ion exchange, and size exclusion, and larger models such as the ÄKTA avant 150 also cover method scale-up. Flash chromatography units do a similar job for synthetic chemistry, usually purifying reaction products through prepacked, disposable cartridges.

Model series recur in this category, and buyers tend to search by them. We handle Agilent 6890 and 7890 gas chromatographs, some paired with 5973 or 5975 mass selective detectors, and Shimadzu GCMS-QP2010 systems. On the liquid side, we see Cytiva and GE Healthcare ÄKTA start, ÄKTA pure, and ÄKTA avant systems, and earlier Amersham Pharmacia ÄKTA FPLC units.

What to check before buying.

  • The modules included: inlets, detectors, autosamplers, fraction collectors, and pumps, by part number where possible
  • Whether control software and a compatible PC come with the system, or need to be sourced separately
  • Detector type and range against your methods, including mass range on GC-MS units
  • On GC-MS units, the condition of the vacuum pumps, ion source, and detector
  • The software version, and whether the license transfers with the instrument
  • Carrier gas, power, and bench space requirements at the install location
  • Service records and the testing performed on the specific unit

Applications & Industries

  • Pharmaceutical manufacturing: quality control testing, including residual solvent analysis on gas chromatographs with headspace samplers.
  • Biotechnology: protein purification and method development on ÄKTA systems, with fraction collection for downstream analysis.
  • Chemical processing: purity and composition testing on GC and GC-MS systems, and flash purification of synthesis products.
  • Laboratory and research: analytical labs, contract testing labs, and university research groups adding or replacing instruments.

Specifications & Configurations

Specification Range
Instrument types Gas chromatographs, GC-MS systems, bench-scale protein purification systems, flash chromatography units, detectors, and switching valves
GC sample introduction Agilent 7683 and 7693 autosamplers and injectors, Agilent 7694 headspace samplers, and Shimadzu AOC-20i auto-injectors
GC-MS detectors Agilent 5973 and 5975 mass selective detectors, and Shimadzu GCMS-QP2010 systems
Protein purification flow rates 0.001 mL/min (ÄKTA avant 25) to 150 mL/min (ÄKTA pure 150)
Flash chromatography Up to 250 mL/min, with 200 to 400 nm UV detection
Electrical 100–240-volt input (ÄKTA start) and 115/120-volt units

Why Buy Used

A used chromatography instrument typically costs a fraction of the new price, and in-stock units can ship without the wait for a new build. That matters most when a lab is adding capacity for a new method, replacing a failed instrument, or standardizing on a model it already runs.

The chassis and core electronics on these instruments last for many years. The parts that wear are pump seals and heads, valve rotor seals, and lamps, plus the filament, ion source, and vacuum pumps on GC-MS units, and all of them can be replaced or rebuilt. Before buying, confirm the testing performed on the specific unit and any additional testing your methods need.

Every unit is inspected when it arrives at our Cleveland, OH facility, and it is available for customer inspection before purchase. Refurbishment and testing can be arranged upon request. Method qualification and validation for your application remain with the buyer.