Multiple Step Gradient Analysis in Stationary Phase Optimised Selectivity LC for the Analysis of Complex Mixtures

Stationary phase optimised selectivity liquid chromatography (SOSLC) is an approach to tune a given LC separation by combining different stationary phases in a multi- segment column set-up. The presently available SOSLC optimisation procedure and algorithm are, however, only applicable to isocratic conditions. This is a severe limitation for the analysis of mixtures composed of components covering a broad hydrophobicity range. A strategy is described to circumvent this limitation. The components of a mixture are divided into different groups according to hydrophobicity as elucidated by a gradient analysis on a C₁₈ reversed-phase column. Each group separation is then individually optimised with a specific isocratic mobile phase composition using the original SOSLC strategy. The mobile phase composition thereby only differs in the percentage of organic modifier between the various groups. Finally, a combination of stationary phases that guarantees sufficient selectivity for all the groups is selected and the separation is performed by a multiple step gradient, whereby each level consists of the mobile phase composition applied for the SOSLC optimisation of the individual groups. The multi step gradient approach is demonstrated through the analysis of a mixture of 27 steroids covering a wide range of hydrophobicity.     

Prediction of peak shape in hydro-organic and micellar-organic liquid chromatography as a function of mobile phase composition

A simple model is proposed that relates the parameters describing the peak width with the retention time, which can be easily predicted as a function of mobile phase composition. This allows the further prediction of peak shape with global errors below 5%, using a modified Gaussian model with a parabolic variance. The model is useful in the optimisation of chromatographic resolution to assess an eventual overlapping of close peaks. The dependence of peak shape with mobile phase composition was studied for mobile phases containing acetonitrile in the presence and absence of micellised surfactant (micellar-organic and hydro-organic reversed-phase liquid chromatography, RPLC). In micellar RPLC, both modifiers (surfactant and acetonitrile) were observed to decrease or improve the efficiencies in the same percentage, at least in the studied concentration ranges. The study also revealed that the problem of achieving smaller efficiencies in this chromatographic mode, compared to hydro-organic RPLC, is not only related to the presence of surfactant covering the stationary phase, but also to the smaller concentration of organic solvent in the mobile phase.     

Indirect UV detection of non-ionic substances in liquid chromatography by addition of a UV-absorbing uncharged compound to the mobile phase

Summary Chromatographic systems have been developed, which allow the detection and quantitation of non-ionic substances with low or no UV-absorptive properties. The detector response is obtained by using mobile phases containing an uncharged component with high UV-absorbance. Polar or non-polar bonded stationary phases have been selected, depending on the hydrophobic character of the analytes. The response pattern is compared to that observed in ion-pair reversed-phase systems with a UV-absorbing ion in the eluent. The influence on retention and detection sensitivity of the nature and concentration of the UV-absorbing compound and of the organic modifier added to the mobile phase has been studied. Principles for the optimisation of the response by changing the mobile phase composition are given. The wide application scope of the indirect UV-detection technique in non-ionic systems is demonstrated by examples of separations of various kinds of compounds, such as organic solvents, carbohydrates and polyols. Presented at the 15th International Symposium on Chromatography, Nürnberg, October 1984     

Complementary mobile-phase optimisation for resolution enhancement in high-performance liquid chromatography

An optimisation methodology in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is presented for the selection of two or more mobile phases having an optimal complementary resolution. The complementary mobile phases (CMPs) are selected in such a way that each one resolves optimally only some compounds in the mixture, while the remainder, resolved by the other mobile phase(s), can overlap among them. The methodology is based on the computation of a peak purity measurement for each solute, using an asymmetrical peak model for peak simulation. Two global resolution criteria (product of elementary resolutions and worst elementary resolution) and two methods for solving the problem (a systematic examination of all possible solute arrangements, and the use of genetic algorithms to expedite the calculation time) were used to find the optimal CMPs. The CMP optimisation methodology was applied to the resolution of a mixture of 10 diuretics and beta-blockers, which could not be resolved using a single mobile phase; virtual baseline resolution was achieved, however, with two CMPs.     

Optimisation of selectivity in the separation of metallo-cyanide complexes by ion-interaction liquid chromatography

A study into the optimisation and selectivity of a reversed-phase ion-interaction liquid chromatographic method for the separation of metallo-cyanide complexes is described. A stable ion-interaction system was developed in which a C₁₈ stationary phase was equilibrated with a 60 mM solution of tetrabutylammonium hydroxide ion-interaction reagent in order to saturate the stationary phase and to minimise retention changes caused by adsorption and desorption of this material. The effects on retention of the metallo-cyanide complexes caused by changes in pH and ionic strength were minimised through the addition of a high concentration of a phosphate buffer (150 mM)to the mobile phase. Perchlorate (0.32–5.62 mM) was then added to the mobile phase as a competing anion and its effect upon the capacity factors of each complex determined. A linear relationship between the logarithm of capacity factor and the logarithm of the concentration of perchlorate was observed, although the slopes of these plots were not accordance with those predicted by a simple ion-exchange model. However, the linearity of the data allowed a simple optimisation procedure to be applied and the concentration of perchlorate could be used to manipulate the separation selectivity of the system. Three differing elution orders of metallo-cyanide complexes were achieved by varying the concentration of perchlorate in the mobile phase within the range 0.94–5.62 mM.     

Optimisation of chiral separation of omeprazole and one of its metabolites on immobilized α1-acid glycoprotein using chemometricsglycoprotein using chemometrics

Summary A strategy for the optimisation of direct chiral separation of omeprazole and a metabolite, hydroxi-omeprazole, in reversed phase liquid chromatography is described. A factorial design was used, where mobile phase pH, concentration of a mobile phase modifier, ionic strength and column temperature were tested as the variables and enantioselective retention, column efficiency and asymmetry factor as the responses. The experimental results were evaluated with multivariate analyses, which demonstrated that the column temperature and content of mobile phase acetonitrile were by far the most important variables. The enantiomers of omeprazole and one of its metabolites were baseline resolved within 15 minutes. The optimised chromatographic system was used for a separation of the enantiomers of omeprazole and its main metabolite in a patient plasma sample.     

Optimisation technique for stepwise gradient elution in reversed-phase liquid chromatography

An optimisation technique of reversed-phase liquid chromatographic separations based on gradient elution with a stepwise variation pattern of the volume fraction phi of the organic modifier in the water-organic mobile phase is presented. It uses a non-linear least-squares programme with a Monte-Carlo search for initial estimates in order to determine the best variation pattern that leads to the optimum separation of a mixture of solutes. The validity of the above methodology was tested by separating eight catechol-related solutes with mobile phases modified by methanol or acetonitrile and variation patterns of two, three or four steps in the psi values. It was found in all cases a very satisfactory accuracy of the predicted gradient elution times, which is of the same order with the accuracy of the retention times predicted under isocratic or linear gradient conditions. In addition, it was shown that the proposed optimisation technique is both effective and flexible but well-shaped chromatograms are obtained under electrochemical detection only if steps with increasing psi are used and the change in psi is programmed to occur at the intermediate of the predicted peaks.     

Sequential simplex optimization and multichannel detection in HPLC: Application to method development

Summary The sequential simplex procedure for the optimisation of mobile phase composition in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is combined with multichannel detection. The operating software already available in a commercial LC system is exploited and extended to incorporate a number of new routines developed to facilitate HPLC method development. An efficient stop criterion for automated simplex procedures is proposed, based on continuous comparison of the chromatographic response function attained with that predicted. The theoretical basis is developed for a new peak homogeneity test, based on the wavelength sensitivity of the chromatographic peak maximum. An algorithm for assigning peak elution order, based on peak areas at multiple wavelengths, is developed for cases where multiple optima are recorded. The simplicity and practical utility of these techniques are demonstrated in the context of an HPLC separation method developed for a model system of six solutes.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic enantioseparation of alpha-substituted glycine analogs on a quinine-based anion-exchanger chiral stationary phase under variable temperature conditions

The retention of enantiomers of chiral analytes, i.e. alpha-substituted glycine analogs, on a quinine-based anion-exchanger chiral stationary phase was studied in the temperature range of 5-70 degrees C and at different mobile phase compositions, using isocratic elution in the reversed-phase mode. By variation of both mobile phase composition and temperature, baseline separations could be achieved for these enantiomers. Separation could be optimized more quickly by adjusting the column temperature rather than the mobile phase composition. The dependence of the natural logarithms of retention and selectivity factors (lnk' and lnalpha) on the inverse of temperature, 1/T (van't Hoff plots) was used to determine thermodynamic data on the enantiomers. Calculated thermodynamic constants (Delta(DeltaH degrees ), Delta(DeltaS degrees ) and Delta(DeltaG degrees )) were applied to promote an understanding of the thermodynamic driving forces for retention in this chromatographic system. The elution sequence of the enantiomers in most cases was determined.     

Correction of the deviations in the retention times with Chromolith columns associated to the flow rate: implications in the modelling of the retention behaviour

In a previous work (J. Sep. Sci. 2009, 32, 2793-2803), we reported an interpretive optimisation approach to achieve maximal resolution in minimal analysis time, based on models describing the retention and peak shape as a function of mobile phase composition and flow rate. The method was applied to the separation of a group of basic drugs in a Chromolith column. In that work, we found that the retention factors were sensitive to the flow rate. The reason of the observed deviations in retention times is the increase in the column volume at the applied pressure, which decreases the linear velocity inside the column. This behaviour forced to include a correction term in the model that described the retention. We show here how the deviations in retention times can be evaluated, allowing retention models that do not include the flow rate as a variable, similar to isocratic chromatography at fixed flow rate. The logarithm of the deviations in the retention times with flow rate is shown to correlate with the solute polarity. This correlation is compared with similar correlations for the retention factor at fixed mobile phase composition and the extrapolated retention factor in water at fixed flow rate.     

Method development and validation for optimised separation of salicylic, acetyl salicylic and ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical formulations by hydrophilic interaction chromatography and response surface methodology

This paper introduces a design of experiments (DOE) approach for method optimisation in hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC). An optimisation strategy for the separation of acetylsalicylic acid, its major impurity salicylic acid and ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical formulations by HILIC is presented, with the aid of response surface methodology (RSM) and Derringer's desirability function. A Box-Behnken experimental design was used to build the mathematical models and then to choose the significant parameters for the optimisation by simultaneously taking both resolution and retention time as the responses. The refined model had a satisfactory coefficient (R2>0.92, n=27). The four independent variables studied simultaneously were: acetonitrile content of the mobile phase, pH and concentration of buffer and column temperature each at three levels. Of these, the concentration of buffer and its cross-product with pH had a significant, positive influence on all studied responses. For the test compounds, the best separation conditions were: acetonitrile/22 mM ammonium acetate, pH 4.4 (82:18, v/v) as the mobile phase and column temperature of 28°C. The methodology also captured the interaction between variables which enabled exploration of the retention mechanism involved. It would be inferred that the retention is governed by a compromise between hydrophilic partitioning and ionic interaction. The optimised method was further validated according to the ICH guidelines with respect to linearity and range, precision, accuracy, specificity and sensitivity. The robustness of the method was also determined and confirmed by overlying counter plots of responses which were derived from the experimental design utilised for method optimisation.     

Evaluation of ternary mobile phases for reversed-phase liquid chromatography: Effect of composition on retention mechanism

The effect of varying mobile phase composition across a ternary space between two binary compositions is examined, on four different reversed-phase stationary phases. Examined stationary phases included endcapped C8 and C18, as well as a phenyl phase and a C18 phase with an embedded polar group (EPG). Mobile phases consisting of 50% water and various fractions of methanol and acetonitrile were evaluated. Retention thermodynamics are assessed via use of the van’t Hoff relationship, and retention mechanism is characterized via LSER analysis, as mobile phase composition was varied from 50/50/0 water/methanol/acetonitrile to 50/0/50 water/methanol acetonitrile. As expected, as the fraction of acetonitrile increases in the mobile phase, retention decreases. In most cases, the driving force for this decrease in retention is a reduction of the enthalpic contribution to retention. The entropic contribution to retention actually increases with acetonitrile content, but not enough to overcome the reduction in the enthalpic contribution. In a similar fashion, as methanol is replaced with acetonitrile, the v, e, and a LSER system constants change to favor elution, while the s and c constants change to favor retention. The b system constant did not show a monotonic change with mobile phase composition. Overall changes in retention across the mobile phase composition range varied, based on the identity of the stationary phase and the composition of the mobile phase.     

Insights into the retention mechanism on an octadecylsiloxane-bonded silica stationary phase (HyPURITY C18) in reversed-phase liquid chromatography

Plots of the retention factor against mobile phase composition were used to organize a varied group of solutes into three categories according to their retention mechanism on an octadecylsiloxane-bonded silica stationary phase HyPURITY C18 with methanol-water and acetonitrile-water mobile phase compositions containing 10-70% (v/v) organic solvent. The solutes in category 1 could be fit to a general retention model, Eq. (2), and exhibited normal retention behavior for the full composition range. The solutes in category 2 exhibited normal retention behavior at high organic solvent composition with a discontinuity at low organic solvent compositions. The solutes in category 3 exhibited a pronounced step or plateau in the middle region of the retention plots with a retention mechanism similar to category 1 solutes at mobile phase compositions after the discontinuity and a different retention mechanism before the discontinuity. Selecting solutes and appropriate composition ranges from the three categories where a single retention mechanism was operative allowed modeling of the experimental retention factors using the solvation parameter model. These models were then used to predict retention factors for solutes not included in the models. The overwhelming number of residual values [log k (experimental) - log k (model predicted)] were negative and could be explained by contributions from steric repulsion, defined as the inability of the solute to insert itself fully into the stationary phase because of its bulkiness (i.e., volume and/or shape). Steric repulsion is shown to strongly depend on the mobile phase composition and was more significant for mobile phases with a low volume fraction of organic solvent in general and for mobile phases containing methanol rather than acetonitrile. For mobile phases containing less than about 20 % (v/v) organic solvent the mobile phase was unable to completely wet the stationary phase resulting in a significant change in the phase ratio and for acetonitrile (but less so methanol) changes in the solvation environment indicated by a discontinuity in the system maps.     

Prediction of peak shape as a function of retention in reversed-phase liquid chromatography

Optimisation of the resolution of multicomponent samples in HPLC is usually carried out by changing the elution conditions and considering the variation in retention of the analytes, to which a standard peak shape is assigned. However, the change in peak shape with the composition of the mobile phase can ruin the optimisation process, yielding unexpected overlaps in the experimental chromatograms for the predicted optimum, especially for complex mixtures. The possibility of modelling peak shape, in addition to peak position, is therefore attractive. A simple modified-Gaussian model with a parabolic variance, which is a function of conventional experimental parameters: retention time (tR), peak height (H0), standard deviation at the peak maximum (sigma0), and left (A) and right (B) halfwidths, is proposed. The model is a simplification of a previous equation proposed in our laboratory. Linear and parabolic relationships were found between the peak shape parameters (sigma0), A and B) and tR, with a mean relative error of 1-5% in most cases. This error was partially due to variations in peak position and shape among injections, which in some cases were above 2%. Correlations between (sigma0, A and B) and the retention time, which is easily modelled as a function of mobile phase composition, allowed a simple and reliable prediction of chromatographic peaks. A parameter that depends on the slopes of the linear relationships for A and B versus tR is also proposed to evaluate column efficiency. The modified-Gaussian model was used to describe the peaks of six diuretics of diverse acid-base behaviour and polarity, which were eluted with 15 mobile phases where the composition was varied between 30 and 50% (v/v) acetonitrile and the pH between 3 and 7.     

Evaluation of ODS-AQ stationary phase for use in capillary electrochromatography

The aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of ODS-AQ packing material as a stationary phase in capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The electroosmotic flow created on an ODS-AQ stationary phase was measured at different mobile phase compositions and at different column temperatures. It was observed that the electroosmotic flow generated in the column increased by 50% when the temperature of the system was raised from 20 degrees C to 60 degrees C, while all other conditions were kept constant. The electroosmotic flow produced by the ODS-AQ stationary phase was found to be comparable to the flow generated in a column packed with Nucleosil bare-silica material. In addition, a set of polar compounds (D-lysergic acid diethylamide derivatives) was utilized to determine the influence of temperature and mobile phase composition on their chromatographic behavior on an ODS-AQ stationary phase in a CEC mode. A linear relationship between the solute retention factor and column temperatures was seen over the temperature range studied (20 degrees C to 60 degrees C). A quadratic function was used to describe the changes in the solute retention factors with variation of acetonitrile concentration in the mobile phase.     

New approach to linear gradient elution used for optimisation in reversed-phase liquid chromatography

A new mathematical treatment concerning the gradient elution in reversed-phase liquid chromatography when the volume fraction psi of an organic modifier in the water-organic mobile phase varies linearly with time is presented. The experimental ln k versus psi curve, where k is the retention factor under isocratic conditions in a binary mobile phase, is subdivided into a finite number of linear portions and the solute gradient retention time tR is calculated by means of an analytical expression arising from the fundamental equation of gradient elution. The validity of the proposed analytical expression and the methodology followed for the calculation of tR was tested using eight catechol-related solutes with mobile phases modified by methanol or acetonitrile. It was found that in all cases the accuracy of the predicted gradient retention times is very satisfactory because it is the same with the accuracy of the retention times predicted under isocratic conditions. Finally, the above method for estimating gradient retention times was used in an optimisation algorithm, which determines the best variation pattern of psi that leads to the optimum separation of a mixture of solutes at different values of the total elution time.     

Multilinear gradient elution optimisation in reversed-phase liquid chromatography using genetic algorithms

The treatment presented in a recent paper [P. Nikitas, A. Pappa-Louisi, J. Chromatogr. A, 1068 (2005) 279] is extended to multilinear gradients, i.e. continuous gradients consisting of a certain number of linear portions. Thus, the experimental lnk versus phi curve, where k is the retention factor of a sample solute under isocratic conditions and phi is the volume fraction of the organic modifier in the water-organic mobile phase, is subdivided into a finite number of linear portions resulting in simple analytical expressions for the solute gradient retention time. These expressions of the retention time are directly used in an optimisation technique based on genetic algorithms. This technique involves first the determination of the theoretical dependence of k upon phi by means of gradient measurements, which in turn is used by the genetic algorithm for the prediction of the best gradient profile. The validity of the analytical expressions and the effectiveness of the optimisation technique were tested using fifteen underivatized amino acids and related compounds with mobile phases modified by acetonitrile. It was found that the adopted methodology exhibits significant advantages and it can lead to high quality predictions of the gradient retention times and optimisation results.     

Theoretical calculation of the optimum separation in thin-layer chromatography

Summary Up to now the optimum composition of a binary mobile phase for separation in thin-layer chromatography has been determined mainly by the method of successive trials. In this paper a simple way is presented to determine the mobile phase composition and the maximum difference in the R_M values of two substances. The equation introduced has been illustrated with examples of adsorption thin-layer chromatography on magnesium silicate. Calculation of the largest difference in the R_M values of two substances in relation to the composition of the binary mobile phase has been compared with the corresponding values determined experimentally. A good agreement of the obtained theoretical data and experimental values has been found.     

High-Performance Gel Permeation Chromatography of Pectins

Abstract

A high-performance gel permeation chromatographic (GPC) method was developed to determine the molecular weight distribution of pectins. The chromatographic system consisted of a hydrophilic coated silica (SynChropak) as the packing and a pH 3.7 acetate buffer as the mobile phase. By use of this system, high-methoxy, low-methoxy, and amidated pectins could be analyzed within fifteen minutes. By determining partition coefficients (K_d) of pectins as a function of mobile phase composition, K_d values were found to be independent of ionic strength from 0.055 to 0.7 M using pH 3.7 acetate buffers, which was in agreement, with intrinsic viscosity data.     

Adsorption isotherms of organic modifiers and the determination of the dead volume in RPLC

Summary In RPLC the dead volume can be defined as the difference between the maximum column hold-up volume and the volume of the adsorbed phase. The composition of the adsorbed phase depends on the composition of the mobile phase and therefore, the dead volume also varies with it. In this work, the alkyl bonded phase acetonitrile (ACN)-water mobile phase system is investigated. In the system, deuterated water (D₂O) and deuterated acetonitrile (D-ACN) are retained due to the isotopic dilution effect. By means of D₂O and D-ACN, the absolute adsorption isotherm of the organic modifier ACN is measured. Based on the isotherm, the chromatographic behaviour of ACN, D-ACN and D₂O, the variation of the dead volume with the composition of the mobile phase, and the approach to determine the maximum column hold-up volumn are explained. In addition, the various approaches to determine the dead volume are compared and the recommendations are given for the case of common unbuffered binary systems (MeOH/H₂O, THF/H₂O and ACN/H₂O).