Quantitation of chromatographic peaks in the 0.1 to 1.0% range

Summary This report was conceived as a source for the relations between five pneumatic parameters of carrier gas-inlet and outlet pressure, inlet and outlet velocity, and average velocity. Any pair of these parameters can be independent while the remaining three can be expressed as functions of the independent pair. As the total number of the independent pairs is ten, thirty different functions describing relations between arbitrary independent pairs and dependent parameters can be identified. All thirty were derived below together with the complete set of bounds for variations of independent parameters. To derive some relations, a third order rational equation had to be solved. Some properties of that solution are discussed. A simple case of vacuum operations with zero outlet pressure has also been considered.     

Supercritical fluid chromatography with a slurry-packed capillary column

A versatile system with a slurry-packed capillary column was developed for supercritical fluid chromatography, which is capable of programming both inlet and outlet pressure independently, as well as using a restrictor to apply back pressure. This system revealed the relationships between pressure drop, flow rate, and linear velocity in pressure-programmed supercritical fluid chromatography. In the restrictor system, both the pressure drop and the flow rate increased almost linearly with inlet pressure, while under conditions of constant pressure drop characteristic behavior was observed which depended on the density-viscosity relationships of supercritical fluid. Resolution in the separation of polysiloxane oligomers was found to be increased by increasing the ratio of pressure drop to pressure-programming rate, although the sensitivity decreased due to the increase in peak volume. The system controlling both inlet and outlet pressure has distinct advantages over the restrictor system controlling both inlet and outlet pressure has distinct advantages over the restrictor system in practical in practical operations.     

Optimization of performance of monolithic capillary column in gas chromatographic separations

Dependence of monolithic column efficiency on column pressure was analyzed using modified Van Deemter relationship with incorporated inlet and outlet column pressures as independent variables. It was demonstrated that the highest column efficiency is observed at high pressures. Inlet and outlet pressure increase has to be controlled in such a way that the relative pressure approaches 1 and the pressure drop across the column is close to zero. Experimental results obtained for open and monolithic capillary columns confirm up to 50% higher column efficiency as compared to column efficiency under standard conditions found using conventional Van Deemter plot. Pressure increase also results in a decrease in the optimal carrier gas velocity and corresponding increase in the analysis time. This drawback can be compensated via an increase in the column temperature.     

Flow of the carrier gas in open-tubular capillary columns in temperature-programmed gas chromatography

A second-order non-linear partial different equation was derived to describe the dependence of carrier gas pressure in the column on the column distance and the time under temperature programmed conditions. This equation was solved numerically by the modified finite difference method for various column parameters. Constant inlet and outlet pressures were used as boundary conditions. The retention times calculated on assumption of a constant pressure profile along the column. Significant differences between retention times of corresponding solutes calculated by the two methods were found, especially when relatively long columns(L>50m) with small internal diameter(d<0.3mm)and high temperature program rates (r>5°/min)are used.     

The influence of pressure on the separating properties of columns in gas chromatography

The Giddings model taking into account the dependence of the coefficients of the van Deemter equation on pressure was used to study changes in the efficiency of a hollow capillary column as the inlet and outlet carrier gas pressures changed. The observed dependence of height equivalent to a theoretical plate (HETP) in the coordinates of inlet and outlet pressures can be approximated by a surface having the shape of a folded sheet of paper, when minimum HETP values are situated along the bend line. Any surface section is actually a van Deemter curve in the corresponding coordinates. The dependence of the minimum HETP on inlet and outlet pressures, which determines the optimum parameters of column service, is of the greatest interest. It was shown that, over the range of pressures studied, the minimum HETP should monotonically decrease as the pressure increases. Experimental model verification showed close correspondence between the inlet and outlet pressures and the values predicted by the model. At the same time, the experimentally found improvement of the efficiency of the column was smaller than that predicted theoretically. Possible reasons for the discrepancy between theory and experiment are considered.     

Modeling of microreactor for syngas production by catalytic partial oxidation of methane

Fixed-bed reactors for the catalytic partial oxidation of methane (CPOM) to produce synthesis gas still pose hot spots problems. Microreactor is a good alternative reactor proposed to resolve these problems. In this paper, synthesis gas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide) production was investigated by a two-dimensional numerical model of single microchannel. CFD modeling with detailed chemistry was conducted to understand the CPOM on platinum (Pt) catalyst. Gas inlet velocity, microchannel pressure, and fuel to air ratio (F/A) are selected as the effective parameters on microchannel performance. Study results show that Reynolds number has considerable effect on methane conversion, hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio (H2/CO), and product distribution. Increasing gas inlet velocity causes all the above parameters to decrease. It is noted that increasing microchannel pressure and decreasing the ratio of fuel to air cause the decrease of the H2/CO ratio.     

Design study and heat transfer analysis of a neutron converter target for medical radioisotope production

A worldwide challenge in the near future will be to find a way of producing radioisotopes in sufficient quantity without relying on research reactors. The motivation for this innovative work on targets lies in the accelerator-based production of radioisotopes using a neutron converter target as in the transmutation by adiabatic resonance crossing concept. Thermal analysis of a multi-channel helium cooled device is performed with the computational fluid dynamics code CFX. Different boundary conditions are taken into account in the simulation process and many important parameters such as maximum allowable solid target temperature as well as uniform inlet velocity and outlet pressure changes in the channels are investigated. The results confirm that the cooling configuration works well; hence such a solid target could be operated safely and may be considered for a prototype target.     

Microfluidic flow focusing: drop size and scaling in pressure versus flow-rate-driven pumping

We experimentally study the production of micrometer-sized droplets using microfluidic technology and a flow-focusing geometry. Two distinct methods of flow control are compared: (i) control of the flow rates of the two phases and (ii) control of the inlet pressures of the two phases. In each type of experiment, the drop size l, velocity U and production frequency f are measured and compared as either functions of the flow-rate ratio or the inlet pressure ratio. The minimum drop size in each experiment is on the order of the flow focusing contraction width a. The variation in drop size as the flow control parameters are varied is significantly different between the flow-rate and inlet pressure controlled experiments.     

Impact of a pressure drop on a monolithic capillary column on the efficiency and separation ability of the column

The impact of inlet and outlet column pressures on column separation properties was investigated for monolithic capillary column in gas chromatography. It was demonstrated that the classical Van Deemter equation does not allow us to make a clear choice of the optimal separation conditions. More relevant data can be obtained from the dependence of the height equivalent to a theoretical plate (HETP) on the inlet and outlet column pressures. The dependence ensures that the minimum HETP value can be achieved at high values of inlet and outlet column pressures, but the ratio of the pressures must approach 1. The efficiency of the column under these optimal conditions can exceed by 25–35% the column efficiency under the optimal conditions found using the classical Van Deemter plot. It was shown that a decrease in inlet and outlet column pressures even at a relative pressure close to 1 leads to an increase in HETP and the loss of column separation ability.     

Analysis of stacking overlap in nucleic acid structures: algorithm and application

RNA contains different secondary structural motifs like pseudo-helices, hairpin loops, internal loops, etc. in addition to anti-parallel double helices and random coils. The secondary structures are mainly stabilized by base-pairing and stacking interactions between the planar aromatic bases. The hydrogen bonding strength and geometries of base pairs are characterized by six intra-base pair parameters. Similarly, stacking can be represented by six local doublet parameters. These dinucleotide step parameters can describe the quality of stacking between Watson–Crick base pairs very effectively. However, it is quite difficult to understand the stacking pattern for dinucleotides consisting of non canonical base pairs from these parameters. Stacking interaction is a manifestation of the interaction between two aromatic bases or base pairs and thus can be estimated best by the overlap area between the planar aromatic moieties. We have calculated base pair overlap between two consecutive base pairs as the buried van der Waals surface between them. In general, overlap values show normal distribution for the Watson–Crick base pairs in most double helices within a range from 45 to 50 Å² irrespective of base sequence. The dinucleotide steps with non-canonical base pairs also are seen to have high overlap value, although their twist and few other parameters are rather unusual. We have analyzed hairpin loops of different length, bulges within double helical structures and pseudo-continuous helices using our algorithm. The overlap area analyses indicate good stacking between few looped out bases especially in GNRA tetraloop, which was difficult to quantitatively characterise from analysis of the base pair or dinucleotide step parameters. This parameter is also seen to be capable to distinguish pseudo-continuous helices from kinked helix junctions.     

Flow of Multicomponent Electrolyte Solutions through Narrow Pores of Nanofiltration Membranes

The slow flow of a multicomponent electrolyte solution in a narrow pore of a nanofiltration membrane is considered. The well-known semiempirical method of subdivision of electrical potential into quasi-equilibrium and streaming parts and the definition of streaming concentrations and pressure are discussed. The usefulness of this tool for solving the electrohydrodynamic equations is shown and justified: the use of a small parameter enables a system of electrohydrodynamic partial differential equations to be reduced to a system of ordinary differential equations for streaming functions. Boundary conditions for streaming functions at both the capillary inlet and outlet are derived. The proposed model is developed for the flow of a multicomponent electrolyte solution with an arbitrary number of ions. This is coupled with (i) the introduction of specific interactions between all ions and the pore wall and (ii) the inclusion of the dissociation of water in both conservation and transport equations. Effective distribution coefficients of ions are introduced that are functions of both the specific interaction potentials and the surface potential of the nanofiltration membrane material. The axial dependency of surface potential is expressed by the use of a charge regulation model from which the discontinuity in electric potential and ion pore concentrations at the pore inlet and outlet can be described.A relation between the frequently used capillary and homogeneous models of nanofiltration membranes is developed. An example of application of the homogeneous model for interpretation of experimental data on nanofiltration separation of electrolyte solutions is presented, which shows a reasonable predictive ability for the homogeneous model.     

Computer-assisted optimization of selectivity by tuning temperature and carrier gas pressure drop in two GC capillary columns coupled in series

The paper shows a computer-assisted procedure for the optimization of selectivity of two columns coupled in series by tuning the working temperature (using the isothermal mode) and columns coupling-point pressure at constant inlet and outlet carrier gas pressures. The optimization procedure validation was tested by the separation of 32 hydrocarbons in a column series with the aim to resolve the maximum number of components in the shortest possible analysis time.Dedicated to Professor J. F. K. Huber on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

Flow Rate and Velocity of Ideal Gas in a Capillary Column with Uniform Permeability

When the column pressure drop is high, the average velocity of a carrier gas is proportional to the square root of the outlet velocity and the flow rate. Characteristic velocity, flow rate and pressure – the boundary conditions between low and high pressure drop regions – are introduced. Previously derived equations for average velocity vs. outlet velocity were modified to include the flow rate and to become more suitable for the separate studies of the low and high pressure drop regions.     

A microfluidic method to study demulsification kinetics

We present the results of experiments studying droplet coalescence in a dense layer of emulsion droplets using microfluidic circuits. The microfluidic structure allows direct observation of collisions and coalescence events between oil droplets dispersed in water. The coalescence rate of a flowing hexadecane-in-water emulsion was measured as a function of the droplet velocity and droplet concentration from image sequences measured with a high-speed camera. A trajectory analysis of colliding droplet pairs allows evaluation of the film drainage profile and coalescence time t(c.) The coalescence times obtained for thousands of droplet pairs enable us to calculate coalescence time distributions for each set of experimental parameters, which are the mean droplet approach velocity (v(0)), the mean dispersed phase fraction (φ) and the mean hydraulic diameter of a droplet pair (d(p)). The expected value E(t(c)) of the coalescence time distributions scales as E(t(c)) is proportional to (v(0))(-0.105±0.043)(d(p))(0.562±0.287), but is independent of φ. We discuss the potential of the procedure for the prediction of emulsion stability in industrial applications.     

Monte Carlo study of three-dimensional organization of water molecules around DNA fragments

Interactions with water molecules are important for the stabilization of three-dimensional structures of nucleic acids and for their functioning. The first hydration shells of macromolecules can be considered as structural parts of nucleic acid. We performed a Monte Carlo study of systems containing a nucleic acid base or base pair with water molecules using improved potential functions. These potential functions enable experimental data on both single base–single water interaction energies and enthalpies of base hydration to be reproduced. Hydration shell structures of base pairs are dependent on the pair geometry. Structural elements of hydration shells can contribute to the pair stability and hence to the probability of mispair formation during nucleic acid biosynthesis. The distribution of water molecules around bases and base pairs is essentially nonhomogeneous.From the Proceedings of the 28th Congreso de Químicos Teóricos de Expresión Latina (QUITEL 2002).     

Automated microfluidic platform for studies of carbon dioxide dissolution and solubility in physical solvents

We present an automated microfluidic (MF) approach for the systematic and rapid investigation of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) mass transfer and solubility in physical solvents. Uniformly sized bubbles of CO(2) with lengths exceeding the width of the microchannel (plugs) were isothermally generated in a co-flowing physical solvent within a gas-impermeable, silicon-based MF platform that is compatible with a wide range of solvents, temperatures and pressures. We dynamically determined the volume reduction of the plugs from images that were accommodated within a single field of view, six different downstream locations of the microchannel at any given flow condition. Evaluating plug sizes in real time allowed our automated strategy to suitably select inlet pressures and solvent flow rates such that otherwise dynamically self-selecting parameters (e.g., the plug size, the solvent segment size, and the plug velocity) could be either kept constant or systematically altered. Specifically, if a constant slug length was imposed, the volumetric dissolution rate of CO(2) could be deduced from the measured rate of plug shrinkage. The solubility of CO(2) in the physical solvent was obtained from a comparison between the terminal and the initial plug sizes. Solubility data were acquired every 5 min and were within 2-5% accuracy as compared to literature data. A parameter space consisting of the plug length, solvent slug length and plug velocity at the microchannel inlet was established for different CO(2)-solvent pairs with high and low gas solubilities. In a case study, we selected the gas-liquid pair CO(2)-dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and volumetric mass transfer coefficients 4-30 s(-1) (translating into mass transfer times between 0.25 s and 0.03 s), and Henry's constants, within the range of 6-12 MPa.     

Optimization of a pressurized liquid junction nanoelectrospray interface between CE and MS for reliable proteomic analysis

A pressurized liquid junction nanoelectrospray interface was designed and optimized for reliable on-line CE-MS coupling. The system was constructed as an integrated device for highly sensitive and selective analyses of proteins and peptides with the separation and spray capillaries fixed in a pressurized spray liquid reservoir equipped with the electrode for connection of the electrospray potential. The electrode chamber on the injection side of the separation capillary and the spray liquid reservoir were pneumatically connected by a Teflon tube filled with pressurized nitrogen. This arrangement provided precisely counterbalanced pressures at the inlet and outlet of the separation capillary. The pressure control system was driven by an electrically operated valve and maintained the optimum flow rate for the electrospray stability. All parts of the interface being in contact with the CEBGE, spray liquid and/or sample were made of glass or Teflon. The use of these materials minimized the electrospray chemical noise often caused by plastic softeners or material degradation. During optimization, the transfer of the separated zones between the separation and electrospray capillaries was monitored by UV absorbance and contactless conductivity detectors placed at the outlet of the separation capillary and inlet of the electrospray tip, respectively. This arrangement allowed independent monitoring of the effects of pressure, CE voltage and geometry of the liquid junction on the spreading and dilution of the separated zones after passage through the interface.     

Density gradients in packed columns: II. Effects of density gradients on efficiency in supercritical fluid separations

To investigate how fluid compressibility affects efficiency in supercritical fluid separations, band dispersion along a packed capillary column was measured from on-column elution rate profiles obtained under solvating gas chromatography (SGC) conditions; this allowed efficiency to be determined with respect to position along the column. Theoretical efficiency was also modeled. The model indicates that the primary cause of band broadening in SGC is high mobile phase velocity near the column outlet. However, the experimental results show that significant band broadening also occurs near the column inlet in a region that corresponds to high elution rates of the analyte. On-column detection also revealed spatial focusing of the analyte as it moves down the column density gradient.     

An analysis of induced pressure fields in electroosmotic flows through microchannels

Induced pressure gradients are found to cause band-broadening effects which are important to the performance of microfluidic devices, such as capillary electrophoresis and capillary chromatography. An improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms causing an induced pressure gradient in electroosmotic flows is presented. The analysis shows that the induced pressure distribution is the key to understanding the experimentally observed phenomena of leakage flows. A novel way of determining the static pressures at the inlet and outlet of microchannels is also presented that takes account of the pressure losses due to flow contraction and expansion. These commonly neglected pressure losses at the channel entrance and outlet are shown to be important in accurately describing the flow. The important parameters that define the effect of induced pressure on the flows are discussed, which may facilitate the design of improved microfluidic devices. The present model clearly identifies the mechanism behind the experimentally observed leakage flows, which is further confirmed by numerical simulations. Not only can the leakage flow occur from the electric-field-free side channel to the main channel, but also the fluid in the main channel can be attracted into the side channel by the induced pressure gradient.     

Characteristics of the Watson-Crick type hydrogen-bonded DNA base pairs: An ab initio molecular orbital study

Characteristics of the Watson-Crick-type hydrogen-bonded base pairs, thymine-adenine and cytosineguanine, are presented. These were established using an ab initio molecular orbital method. Base–base interactions are revealed to have dominant roles in the structures of nucleic acids and also in their functions. The most stable conformations in Watson-Crick-type base pairs are almost in accord with the structure observed in fiber X-ray diffraction study. Explanations are given of the origin of the sequencedependent local structures which differ from one base pair to the next, as observed in single-crystal X-ray analyses. In the case of the thymine-adenine base pair, it is shown that various geometrical parameters having almost the same stability are available. According to the propeller twist, the instability is not large enough for a base pair to be twisted readily.