9027.20.80 - Other

HTS 9027.20.80 encompasses "Other" instruments and apparatus for chromatography and electrophoresis that are not specifically classified as electrical. This category is primarily for devices that perform separation and analysis based on chromatographic or electrophoretic principles, excluding those primarily driven by electrical components as detailed in sibling category 9027.20.50. The classification here hinges on the fundamental operational mechanisms of separation rather than the electrical power source or control systems.

Within this broad "Other" classification, further distinctions are made to refine the categorization of specific chromatographic and electrophoretic instruments. The subcategories are designed to address the most common types of these analytical instruments. These include gas chromatographs, which separate volatile compounds based on their differential partitioning between a mobile gas phase and a stationary phase, and liquid chromatographs, which perform similar separations for non-volatile or thermally unstable compounds using a liquid mobile phase.

The existence of these distinct subcategories—9027.20.80.30 for gas chromatographs, 9027.20.80.60 for liquid chromatographs, and 9027.20.80.90 for other chromatography and electrophoresis instruments—allows for precise classification based on the specific medium used for the mobile phase in the separation process. This granularity is crucial for accurate tariff assessment and trade statistics.