Standardization of test conditions for high performance liquid chromatography columns

Summary Comparisons of columns, column packings and column packing methods are made difficult and sometimes invalidated by differences and inadequacies in the test procedures used and the experimental data recorded. This paper reviews test procedures and recommends standards for a) the experimental and test parameters which must be recorded in order to enable comparisons to be made from laboratory to laboratory, b) the group of chromatographic parameters which best represent column performance for comparative purposes, with methods for their calculation, c) test solutes and eluents for some different types of packing materials. A computer program in BASIC is given which converts the experimental parameters into relevant chromatographic parameters.