HPLC Column Technology: State-of-The-Art
Special Issues
Improvements in HPLC column technology continue. Since the last Special Supplement on columns in 2008 (1), the continued need for high-throughput separation, the encountering of more complex samples, the need to analyze very polar compounds more easily, and the increased availability of very high pressure instruments has placed additional demands on the HPLC column. In terms of high throughput, no less than 24 companies have responded and have developed small particle columns of 2 µm and under. In addition, the number of superficially porous particle (SPP) columns has expanded, and users are finding that the high-efficiency-at-low-pressure advantage brings them added advantages. With more complex samples, longer columns packed with sub-2-µm particles require higher pressures with pumps now available to 1300 bar. It will be of interest to see if the lower pressure, high-efficiency SPP columns and monoliths, the latter of which have seen advances in the research of polymeric monoliths for applications to..
Improvements in HPLC column technology continue. Since the last Special Supplement on columns in 2008 (1), the continued need for high-throughput separation, the encountering of more complex samples, the need to analyze very polar compounds more easily, and the increased availability of very high pressure instruments has placed additional demands on the HPLC column. In terms of high throughput, no less than 24 companies have responded and have developed small particle columns of 2 µm and under. In addition, the number of superficially porous particle (SPP) columns has expanded, and users are finding that the high-efficiency-at-low-pressure advantage brings them added advantages. With more complex samples, longer columns packed with sub-2-µm particles require higher pressures with pumps now available to 1300 bar. It will be of interest to see if the lower pressure, high-efficiency SPP columns and monoliths, the latter of which have seen advances in the research of polymeric monoliths for applications to small molecules, will be the direction that chromatographers go to keep column pressures reasonable. To solve complex separations, a great deal of interest has been created around comprehensive LC×LC, where the first dimension is carried out on a slower but orthogonal column to the second dimension. The development of more orthogonal columns to provide better resolution is underway and instrumentation that can conveniently perform such experiments is beginning to appear. The pressure race among leading instrumentation companies appears to be in full swing but column capability might still tax the extracolumn effects as columns continue to become more efficient with smaller volumes. Automated instruments for method development and walk-up LC–MS systems have come into their own to make method development easier.
Ronald E. Majors
Although reversed-phase chromatography is still king, the increasing use of hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) for polar compounds only slightly or unretained on typical reversed-phase columns has been seen. More columns for chiral recognition have been introduced as some patents on more popular technologies have expired.
To update LCGC readers, I have assembled an excellent selection of HPLC column experts to bring us up-to-date in specific areas of column technology. First, I will discuss some of the innovations that have occurred and are occurring in reversed-phase chromatography. Frantisek Svec will update the tremendous progress being made in monolith technology, while Chris Pohl highlights columns for ion-exchange and ion chromatography focusing on small molecules. Next, Tom Beesley, an early worker in the field of chiral separations, will discuss chiral columns and some new chemistries. David Carr, who has worked in HPLC for nearly 40 years, will discuss biocolumns, an area where he has considerable experience. Finally, Matthias Pursch will discuss automated method development and show some examples of "real world" industrial applications. I do hope that you enjoy this Special Supplement and find something of interest and value. Good reading.
(1) "Recent Developments in LC Column Technology" LCGC North America S26 (S4), April 2008.
Ronald E. Majors
Recent Developments in
LC Column Technology Editor
Analyzing Bone Proteins in Forensic Laboratories Using LC−MS/MS
November 4th 2024A recent study compared different workflows for extracting, purifying, and analyzing bone proteins using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), including an in-StageTip protocol previously optimized for forensic applications, and two protocols using novel suspension-trap technology (S-Trap) and different lysis solutions. LCGC International discussed this work with Noemi Procopio of the School of Law and Policing and the Research Centre for Field Archaeology and Forensic Taphonomy at the University of Central Lancashire (UK), corresponding author of the paper that resulted from this study.
AI and GenAI Applications to Help Optimize Purification and Yield of Antibodies From Plasma
October 31st 2024Deriving antibodies from plasma products involves several steps, typically starting from the collection of plasma and ending with the purification of the desired antibodies. These are: plasma collection; plasma pooling; fractionation; antibody purification; concentration and formulation; quality control; and packaging and storage. This process results in a purified antibody product that can be used for therapeutic purposes, diagnostic tests, or research. Each step is critical to ensure the safety, efficacy, and quality of the final product. Applications of AI/GenAI in many of these steps can significantly help in the optimization of purification and yield of the desired antibodies. Some specific use-cases are: selecting and optimizing plasma units for optimized plasma pooling; GenAI solution for enterprise search on internal knowledge portal; analysing and optimizing production batch profitability, inventory, yields; monitoring production batch key performance indicators for outlier identification; monitoring production equipment to predict maintenance events; and reducing quality control laboratory testing turnaround time.
Profiling Volatile Organic Compounds in Whisky with GC×GC–MS
November 1st 2024Researchers from Austria, Greece, and Italy conducted a study to analyze volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in Irish and Scotch whiskys using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) Arrow with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC×GC–MS) to examine the organoleptic characteristics that influence the taste of spirits.
