HPLC is an analytical technique that uses liquid to separate a sample mixture into individual components so they can be determined and recorded in a chromatograph.

A powerful tool in analytical chemistry, HPLC is a means to gain highly sensitive and selective quantitative and qualitative data pertaining to the molecular structure of a target compound and, as a result, is utilized frequently in the fields of forensics, pharmaceuticals, food safety and environmental testing.

Some of the key components of chromatographs are devices dedicated to molecular separation, known as columns, and high-performance pumps for delivering solvent at a stable flow rate. As these technologies have progressed, greater resolution and greater precision in the analysis of complex mixtures have been afforded by the creation of HPLC, which also delivers high-speed results.