Computerized design of separation strategies by reversed-phase liquid chromatography: development of DryLab software

The development of DryLab software is a special achievement in analytical HPLC which took place in the last 16 years. This paper tries to collect some of the historical mile stones and concepts. DryLab, being always subject to change according to the needs of the user, never stopped being developed. Under the influence of an ever changing science market, the DryLab development team had to consider not just scientific improvements, but also new technological achievements, such as the introduction of Windows 1.0 and 3.1, and later Windows NT and 2000. The recent availability of new 32-bit programming tools allowed calculations of chromatograms to be completed more quickly so as to show peak movements which result for example from slight changes in eluent pH. DryLab is a great success of interdisciplinary and intercontinental cooperation by many scientists.     

Rapid method for evaluating reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography column stability

A procedure is presented for the rapid evaluation of HPLC stationary phase stability at pH 8.4 or 10.1 using a temperature of 60 degrees C. Mobile phase (MeOH-0.1 mol l(-1) aqueous NaHCO3, 50:50, v/v) is continuously passed through the column with periodic injections of a test solution until the several chromatographic parameters of the resulting chromatograms are degraded. The tests were applied to several commercial and laboratory-made stationary phases. After degradation two of these phases, one commercial and one laboratory-made, were examined by elemental analysis and scanning electron microscopy to elucidate the degradation process.     

Characterization of a novel diol column for high-performance liquid chromatography

For the investigation of a diol phase (Inertsil Diol column) in hydrophilic interaction chromatography, urea, sucrose and glycine were used as test compounds. The chromatographic conditions were investigated for optimal column efficiency. The column temperature used in common reversed-phase liquid chromatography could also be used for the separation and the flow-rate should be adjusted to 0.3-0.5 ml/min to optimize column efficiency. It is suggested that the velocity of the hydrophilic interaction is slower than the hydrophobic interaction in RPLC. The addition of trifluoroacetic acid is effective for the retention of glycine, but ineffective for urea and sucrose. The diol phase exhibited sufficient chemical stability even if exposed to water in high percentage, and could be applied with isocratic elution for the separation/analysis of amino acids and glucose.     

Chemically-bonded chiral column packings for high-performance liquid chromatography

Summary N-Protected aminoacids have been chemically bonded to aminopropylated silica gel, and the resulting chiral phases have been applied to the LG resolution of racemic mixtures of polar compounds. Best results were obtained with surfacebound N-formyl-isoleucine and N-formylvaline, with which baseline resolutions of a range of aminoacid and aminoalcohol derivatives were achieved.Presented at the 14th International Symposium on Chromatography London, September, 1982     

Atypical silica-based column packings for high-performance liquid chromatography

Column packings widely used for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) mostly are based on porous silica microspheres with certain pore sizes and pore size distributions. Such materials have the most desirable compromise of properties that provide for effective and reproducible separations over a wide range of operating conditions. To provide desired separation characteristics, several manufacturers specially synthesize the silica particles for these packings. While such column packing materials have general utility for a wide range of needs, special silica-based particles have been synthesized with different physical conformations for special separation goals. This presentation describes some atypical types of silica-based particles with unique separation properties that enlarge the capabilities of HPLC methods.     

Computer-assisted method development and optimization in high-performance liquid chromatography

This paper reports the use of DryLab, a computer simulation software package, to assist in the development and optimization of a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the separation of a model drug candidate and its degradation products. Prior to the optimization process, columns with various bonded phases are evaluated for their chromatographic performance using the sample of interest. Simultaneous optimization of two separation variables and the use of resolution maps to predict the optimal conditions are illustrated. Options to optimize column conditions (column length and flow-rate) to further reduce run time are briefly discussed. The accuracy of DryLab-predicted retention times and resolution is compared with experimental values. The DryLab software used in this study provided satisfactory predictions for the selected model, with average errors of less than 3.5 and 11.8% for retention time and resolution, respectively.     

Optimization of multicomponent solvent selection in high-performance liquid chromatography using a statistical method

A computer-assisted method is presented for optimization of multicomponent solvent mobile phase selection for separation of O-ethyl-N-isopropyl phosphoro (thioureido) thioates in reversed-phase HPLC and four geometric isomers of pesticides Decis in normal-phase HPLC. The method is based on Snyder's solvent selection triangle concept using a statistical method. The optimization of the separation over the experimental region is based on a special polynomial estimation from seven experimental runs, and resolution (R_s) is used as the selection criterion. Excellent agreement was obtained between predicted data and experimental results.     

Development of a high-performance liquid chromatography carbon column based method for the fractionation of dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls

A method to separate polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was developed. The HPLC column was packed with Amoco PX-21 activated carbon dispersed on octadecylsilane (ODS). The separation was carried out by gradient elution with n-hexane-dichloromethane and toluene in the forward direction followed by reversed elution with toluene. The results show that this HPLC method is useful for the separation of PCBs according to the number of substituted ortho chlorine atoms attached to the biphenyl structure. Average recoveries for a number of individual di-ortho PCBs, mono-ortho PCBs, and non-ortho PCBs in three selected elution windows were 97, 92, and 96%, respectively. Clophen A50, a herring sample, and a cod liver oil sample were fractionated on the column and the analytical results are compared with data from the literature. The method presented here is useful for quantitative separations of mono-ortho PCBs as well as non-ortho PCBs which have been assigned toxic equivalency factors by the World Health Organisation.     

Advanced high-performance liquid chromatography method development. Discovering unexpected choices in chromatography

The influence of some important experimental parameters on the resolution of compounds as well as the validity of widely used rules of thumb and of common expectations about how to improve resolution is discussed. It will be shown, on the basis of selected examples, that the general expectations about how the experimental parameters have to be adjusted for better resolution does not cover all chances for resolution improvement. The tool for understanding the method and to discover all chances for increasing selectivity is the resolution map of a method.     

Comparison of reversed-phase column materials for high-performance liquid chromatography of proteins

Nine reversed-phase materials with various bonded phases from different suppliers were studied for the separation of hydrophilic proteins with two solvent systems. Protein retention, resolution and recovery were not correlated with the nature of the hydrocarbonaceous ligand. Peak volumes increased with molecular weight, which led to broad, irregular peaks for the larger proteins on some columns. Four columns that performed equally well were selected for the purification of hydrophobic Sendai virus membrane proteins. In this case, more distinct differences were found between columns. Recovery of the membrane proteins strongly depended on the combination of column and solvent systems.     

Celite column chromatography followed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography: a simple, two-step method for separating 14 testicular steroids

The separation of 14 major testicular steroids has been effected by a simple, two-step procedure involving Celite column chromatography followed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The technique does not alter the resolved steroids, which are then available for subsequent analysis.     

Ultra high-performance liquid chromatography of porphyrins in clinical materials: column and mobile phase selection and optimisation

Ultra high-performance liquid chromatographic (UHPLC) systems on columns packed with materials ranging from 1.9 to 2.7 μm average particle size were assessed for the fast and sensitive analysis of porphyrins in clinical materials. The fastest separation was achieved on an Agilent Poroshell C(18) column (2.7 μm particle size, 50 × 4.6 mm i.d.), followed by a Thermo Hypersil Gold C(18) column (1.9 μm particle size, 50 × 2.1 mm i.d.) and the Thermo Hypersil BDS C(18) column (2.4 μm particle size, 100 × 2.1 mm i.d.). All columns required a mobile phase containing 1 m ammonium acetate buffer, pH 5.16, with a mixture of acetonitrile and methanol as the organic modifiers for optimum resolution of the type I and III isomers, particularly for uroporphyrin I and III isomers. All UHPLC columns were suitable and superior to conventional HPLC columns packed with 5 μm average particle size materials for clinical sample analysis.     

Fast determination of tetrafluoroborate by high-performance liquid chromatography using a monolithic column

Fast determination of tetrafluoroborate by high-performance liquid chromatography using a silica-based monolithic column and direct conductivity detection was carried out. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Chromolith Speed ROD RP-18e column (50 mm x 4.6 mm i.d.) with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBA-OH)+ phthalic acid as eluent. The effects of eluent concentration, eluent pH, column temperature and flow rate on retention time of tetrafluoroborate were investigated. The optimized chromatographic conditions for determination of tetrafluoroborate were using 0.5mM TBA-OH + 0.31 mM phthalic acid (pH 5.5) as eluent, column temperature of 30 degrees C and flow rate of 6.0 mL/min. Retention time of tetrafluoroborate was less than 1min under the conditions. Common anions (Cl(-), Br(-), NO3(-) and SO4(2-)) did not interfere with the determination of tetrafluoroborate. Detection limit (S/N = 2) for tetrafluoroborate was 1.4 mg/L. The linear range of calibration curve between peak area and the concentration of tetrafluoroborate was from 1.4 to 100.0 mg/L. The reproducibility was 0.09% and 1.8% (n = 5) relative standard deviation (RSD) for retention time and peak area, respectively. The method has been applied to the determination of tetrafluoroborate in ionic liquids. Recoveries of tetrafluoroborate after spiking were 98.2-101.5%.     

Peak symmetry as a measure of column performance in high-performance liquid chromatography

Summary During a column-packing method development study, 114 reverse phase and 40 silica gel columns were packed. A relationship between peak symmetry and column efficiency was observed which was found to be useful when evaluating column performance.     

Simultaneous assay of olanzapine and fluoxetine in tablets by column high-performance liquid chromatography and high-performance thin-layer chromatography

This paper describes validated high-performance liquid chromatographic (LC) and high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) methods for the simultaneous estimation of olanzapine and fluoxetine in pure powder and tablet formulations. The LC separation was achieved on a Lichrospher 100 RP-180, C18 column (250 mm, 4.0 mm id, 5 microm) using 0.05 M potassium dihydrogen phosphate buffer (pH 5.6 adjusted with o-phosphoric acid)-acetonitrile (50 + 50, v/v) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 mL/min and ambient temperature. The TLC separation was achieved on aluminum sheets coated with silica gel 60F254 using methanol-toluene (40 + 20, v/v) as the mobile phase. Quantitation was achieved by measuring ultraviolet absorption at 233 nm over the concentration range of 10-70 and 40-280 microg/mL with mean recovery of 99.54 +/- 0.89 and 99.73 +/- 0.58% for olanzapine and fluoxetine, respectively, by the LC method. Quantitation was achieved by measuring ultraviolet absorption at 233 nm over the concentration range of 100-800 and 400-3200 ng/spot with mean recovery of 101.53 +/- 0.06 and 101.45 +/- 0.35% for olanzapine and fluoxetine, respectively, by the TLC method with densitometry. These methods are simple, precise, and sensitive, and they are applicable for simultaneous determination of olanzapine and fluoxetine in tablet formulations.     

Determination of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe in a combined tablet dosage form using high-performance column liquid chromatography and high-performance thin-layer chromatography

This paper describes validated HPLC and HPTLC methods for the simultaneous determination of rosuvastatin (ROS) and ezetimibe (EZE) in a combined tablet dosage form. The isocratic RP-HPLC analysis was performed on a Chromolith C18 column (100 x 6 mm id) using 0.1% (v/v) orthophosphoric acid solution (pH 3.5)-acetonitrile (63 + 37, v/v) mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 mL/min at ambient temperature. Quantification was carried out using a photodiode array UV detector at 245 nm over the concentration range of 0.5-10 microg/mL for ROS and EZE. The HPTLC separation was carried out on an aluminum-backed sheet of silica gel 60F(254) layers using n-butyl acetate-chloroform-glacial acetic acid (1 + 8 + 1, v/v/v) mobile phase. Quantification was achieved with UV densitometry at 245 nm over a concentration range of 0.1-0.9 micro/spot for ROS and EZE. The analytical methods were validated according to International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. Low RSD values indicated good precision. Both methods were successfully applied for the analysis of the drugs in laboratory-prepared mixtures and commercial tablets. No chromatographic interference from the tablet excipients was found. These methods are simple, precise, and sensitive, and are applicable for simultaneous determination of ROS and EZE in pure powder and tablets.     

An improved method for high-performance liquid chromatography of gossypol

Earlier liquid-chromatographic methods for the determination of gossypol, based on highly acidic methanolic solvents, provide broad tailing peaks. The use of acetonitrile with aqueous phosphoric acid/tri-n-butylammonium phosphate at pH 3.5 and a high-resolution radial-compression column gave greatly improved performance and excellent peak shape.