Chromatographic separations are often characterized by multiple detectors
through which the sample flows serially. As the sample flows between
detectors, it becomes progressively diluted due to mixing and diffusion.
This phenomenon is traditionally called interdetector "band broadening"
and often results in significant distortion of the sample's derived
physical properties such as molar mass. A method to characterize the
broadening present in a chromatographic system, and an algorithm whereby
the narrow peaks of the upstream detector are numerically broadened so
they can be compared to the broadened peaks of the downstream detector,
is described. Although the technique results in some loss of resolution,
its stability and generality allow it a broad range of application.
Examples are presented for data collected by dRI, MALS, UV, and
viscometric detectors.