MCAT Basics (from MedSchoolCoach) Separation and Purification Techniques
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Nov 26, 2025 Dive into the fascinating world of separation and purification techniques essential for the MCAT. Discover how small molecules can be separated through extraction, crystallization, and chromatography. Uncover the intricacies of protein purification, featuring SDS-PAGE and isoelectric focusing. Finally, explore methods for cell separation, including centrifugation and flow cytometry. This informative discussion sheds light on key techniques that are crucial for mastering exam content and understanding biochemical processes.
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Solvent Partitioning Drives Extractions
- Liquid-liquid extraction separates compounds by exploiting differing solubilities in two immiscible solvents.
- Use a separatory funnel to partition and collect the phase enriched with your target compound.
Coffee-Style Extraction Example
- Sam Smith gives a gym-friendly example separating creatine and caffeine using oil and water.
- He describes shaking, phase separation, and removing the oil phase to collect creatine.
Crystallization Then Recrystallization
- Crystallization isolates a desired solid by cooling a hot solution to form crystals.
- Recrystallization then purifies those crystals by choosing a solvent that keeps impurities dissolved.