The use of large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to study retention in non-aqueous reversed-phase HPLC

Summary Elution strengths of 11 common HPLC solvents on a polymeric C₁₈ phase were compared using a marker set of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Naphthalene, pyrene, benzo[ghi]perylene, and three larger naphthologues of 8, 10, and 12 rings (constituting a naphthalene zigzag series) were chosen because they span the solvent strength range up to and including the strongest solvents, tetrahydrofuran (THF) and chlorobenzene. Four pairs of similarly shaped isomers were used to probe solvent selectivity. With the exception of THF, HPLC solvent strength correlated with observed red shifts of fluorescence band maxima in each solvent. For THF, the pure solvent and blended mixtures behaved quite differently.     

Analysis of commercial ceramides by non-aqueous reversed-phase liquid chromatography with evaporative light-scattering detection

Summary This paper describes the development of a chromatographic system for analysis of commercial ceramides structurally similar to those found in the stratum corneum. The ceramides used in this study contain different amine based (phytosphingosine, sphingosine and dihydrosphingosine) and fatty acids of different chain lengths and with different functional groups (hydroxylated and unsaturated). Non-aqueous reversed-phase (NARP) liquid chromatography with evaporative light-scattering detection (ELSD) were the techniques chosen in accordance with the nature of the ceramides. The eluent strength and the potential selectivity of different organic solvents were investigated. On a C₁₈-bonded silica, the most promising chromatographic conditions employed a gradient from ACN-THF, 95∶5, to ACN-THF-PrOH, 35∶5∶60, in 15 min with a constant concentration of TEA (10 mM) and a stoichiometric amount of formic acid.     

Column selectivity in reversed-phase liquid chromatography. VII. Cyanopropyl columns

Eleven cyanopropyl ("cyano") columns were characterized by means of a relationship developed originally for alkyl-silica columns. Compared to type-B alkyl-silica columns (i.e., made from pure silica), cyano columns are much less hydrophobic (smaller H), less sterically restricted (smaller S*), and have lower hydrogen-bond acidity (smaller A). Because sample retention is generally much weaker on cyano versus other columns (e.g., C8, C18), a change to a cyano column usually requires a significantly weaker mobile phase in order to maintain comparable values of k for both columns. For this reason, practical comparisons of selectivity between cyano and other columns (i.e., involving different mobile phases for each column) must take into account possible changes in separation due to the change in mobile phase, as well as change in the column.     

Dependence of the methylene selectivity on the composition of hydro-organic eluents for reversed-phase liquid chromatographic systems with alkyl bonded phases

Summary A theoretical treatment is presented which considers differences between the composition of the mobile phase and solvents that are incorporated into the bonded phase via preferential sorption. Equations are derived and used to analyze retention data for various homologs chromatographed under reversed-phase conditions using alkyl bonded phases and combinations of water-methanol, water-acetonitrile and watertetrahydrofuran as mobile phases. In the case of water-methanol the surface phase and bulk mobile phase compositions are similar. However, significant differences in composition between the two phases are observed when binary combinations of water-acetonitrile and water-tetrahydrofuran are used as the cluents.     

Influence of temperature and mobile phase composition on retention properties of oligomeric bonded phases in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC)

Summary The effect of temperature and mobile phase composition (methanol-water) on the retention behaviour of an oligomeric series of n-octylsilyl bonded phases in reversed-phase liquid chromatography has been investigated. Plots of lnk against 1/T (van't Hoff plot) and the enthalpy of transfer (ΔH^o) yields linear relationships under the conditions studied. The ΔH^o values of the aromatic hydrocarbons and n-alkyl benzoates are higher than those of the polar compounds due to their higher level of interaction with the stationary phase. A linear plot of ΔH^o vs. ΔS^o suggest that the retention process, which is essentially controlled by non-specific (dispersive) interactions between the solutes and the bonded ligands, is identical for all cases evaluated. The existence of similar retention mechanisms is confirmed by the constant value of the enthalpy-entropy compensation temperature of the columns for a given class of componds. As expected, decreasing the methanol content (% v/v) of the mobile phase results in increased eluite retention times. The methylene and phenyl selectivities are found to be independent of the carbon content of the stationary phases and varied only with the eluent composition. In addition to their high stability under aggressive mobile phase conditions as previously reported, the results of this study generally showed that the solute retention process on oligomeric phases are similar to those exhibited by the conventional reversed phases.     

The calculation of retention and selectivity in reversed-phase liquid chromatography II. Methanol-water eluents

Summary To calculate retention in reversed-phase, high-performance liquid chromatography a method based on the molecular structure of the analyte and the characteristics of sorbents and mobile phases has been employed. Characteristics of different ODS-columns in water-methanol eluents have been determined.     

Studies on shape selectivity of RP C18-columns

Summary Stationary phases with octadecyl groups have been prepared with different carbon content without and in the presence of water and characterized for their selectivity for the shape of various polyaromatic hydrocarbons. It is shown that both a high hydrocarbon content and a good accessibility of the bonded groups within the pores is required to achieve shape recognition for PAH. High carbon content alone is not sufficient. The two tests for shape selectivity proposed by Sander and Wise as well as by Tanaka are compared. In most cases the results are similar: A low selectivity with the Sander and Wise test (α TBN/BaP<1) corresponds to a high value with the Tanaka test (α TRI/o-TER>3). However, not in all cases the tests give corresponding answers. Further studies on molecular recognition are required.     

Use of a displacement model for solvent sorption to study non-specific selectivity in reversed-phase liquid chromatography

Summary A thermodynamic equation is derived for the non-specific selectivity of alkyl bonded phases as a function of the mobile phase composition using a displacement mechanism to model the sorption of solvents into the bonded phase. The equation is used to calculate the thermodynamic parameters which characterize the incremental behavior of a hydrophobic group in ethyl alkanoate and methyl perfluoroalkanoate ester solutes chromatographed with water-methanol and water-acetonitrile mobile phases on both octyl and octadecyl bonded phases.     

Identification of naphtho [8.1.2 abc] coronene in the extract of diesel particulate matter by non-aqueous reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with UV multichannel detector

Summary Non-aqueous reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with a UV multichannel detector has been used for the identification of large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the extract from diesel engine particulate matter. The existence of naphtho[8,1,2,abc]coronene is first confirmed by this technique.     

Use of principal component analysis for investigation of factors affecting retention behaviour of ceramides on porous graphitized carbon column

Summary The potentiality of a porous graphitized carbon stationary phase was assessed for ceramide analysis in nonaqueous reversed phase chromatography with an evaporative light scattering detection. The influence of the nature of the mobile phase was first performed under isoeluotropic isocratic conditions. Eight mobile phase compositions in the presence or absence of triethylamine/formic acid were tested with a set of structurally relevant ceramides. Values obtained under these conditions for the peak heights, retention factors, plate numbers, asymmetry factors, relative retentions and Time-Corrected Calibrated Normalised Resolution Product were analysed by Principal Component Analysis. Principal Component Analysis was effective in attributing relationships between the chromatographic behaviour and analytical conditions. The relationship between the increase of the detector response and the presence of triethylamine/formic acid has been confirmed, and the main change of selectivity has been attributed to interactions provided by the weak solvent of the mobile phase. These conclusions have allowed the development of gradient conditions for the analysis of complex ceramide mixtures on porous graphitized carbon column.     

Shape selectivity in embedded polar group stationary phases for liquid chromatography

Seven columns with embedded polar functionality were evaluated for use in liquid chromatography with a focus on molecular shape recognition. Tests based on Standard Reference Material 869b Column Selectivity Test Mixture for Liquid Chromatography and the Tanaka test indicate that only two of the phases are slightly shape selective at 20 °C. The shape recognition characteristics of the phases appear to be directly related to the density of the embedded polar ligands and the temperature of the separation, consistent with trends observed with conventional hydrocarbon phases.

Quick and sensitive HPLC separations on non-porous reversed-phase packings

Summary The aim of this work was to evaluate reversed-phase chemically bonded non-porous (micropellicular)d _p=1.5 μm stationary phases. On these modern phases the time for analysis of complex mixtures of solutes—whether monomeric or polymeric (e.g. drugs, vitamins, peptides, or protein)—is very short compared with that on porous phases. Different surface chemistries were elaborated for the separation of different types of sample. For the separation of small molecules a long-chain (C₁₄) hydrocarbon-coated phase seems to be optimum; a short chain (C₆) hydrocarbon bonded to the surface of the silica seems better for the separation of polymers. The efficiency, the low analysis times, and sensivities were demonstrated by separation of different proteins, peptides, drugs, alkaloids, and mixtures of water and fat-soluble vitamins.     

Contributions to reversed-phase column selectivity. I. Steric interaction

In reversed-phase chromatography (RPC), the restricted retention of "bulky" solutes can occur in one of two ways, giving rise to either "shape selectivity" or "steric interaction." Starting with data for 150 solutes and 167 monomeric type-B alkylsilica columns, the present study examines the steric interaction process further and compares it with shape selectivity. The dependence of column hydrophobicity and steric interaction on column properties (ligand length and concentration, pore diameter, end-capping) was determined and compared. The role of the solute in steric interaction was found to be primarily a function of solute molecular length, with longer solutes giving increased steric interaction. We find that there are several distinct differences in the way shape selectivity and steric interaction are affected by separation conditions and the nature of the sample. Of particular interest, steric interaction exhibits a maximum effect for monomeric C(18) columns, and becomes less important for either a C(1) or C(30) column; shape selectivity appears unimportant for monomeric C(1)-C(18) columns at ambient and higher temperatures, but becomes pronounced for C(30) - as well as polymeric columns with ligands ≥C(8). One hypothesis is that shape selectivity involves the presence or creation of cavities within the stationary phase that can accommodate a retained solute (a primarily enthalpic process), while steric interaction mainly makes greater use of spaces that pre-exist the retention of the solute (a primarily entropic process). The related dependence of hydrophobic interaction on column properties was also examined.     

Results from solvophobic theory applied to methylene selectivity in reversed-phase HPLC

A significant amount of work has been previously dedicated to the understanding of methylene selectivity parameter. The conventional theory applied for this understanding was mostly based on the assumption that the difference in the Gibbs free energy of transfer from the mobile phase to the stationary phase is a constant for any two compounds in a homologous series that differ by a CH₂ group. In the present study, it is shown based on solvophobic theory that this assumption is indeed correct, but it provides a theoretical justification for it. Exemplification of the results of theory was obtained using the values for methylene selectivity (α(CH₂)) measured experimentally for seven different C18 chromatographic columns including two core–shell columns and using water and either methanol or acetonitrile as an organic component. Four different homologous series of compounds were used for evaluation. The study proved the theoretical prediction that the values for α(CH₂) obtained using different homologous series of compounds are only slightly different from those obtained using the toluene–butylbenzene series. Even using different homologous series, the same type of information regarding the columns comparison, and the changes in log α(CH₂) with the solvent composition was obtained.     

Mechanism and prediction of retention of oligomers in normal-phase and reversed-phase HPLC

Summary The simultaneous dependence of the retention in oligomeric series on the number of repeat structural units and on the mobile phase composition may be described by very similar equations for reversed-phase and for normal-phase systems.In reversed-phase systems, the separation selectivity of the individual oligomers is determined mainly by the size and by the polarity of the repeat structural unit, but the influence of a bulky and polar structural residue may also become important so that even reversed order of elution may be observed for oligomeric series with the same oligomeric units but significantly different end groups. For example, oligoethylene glycols are eluted in the order of increasing size of the oligomers, whereas ethoxylated nonylphenols are eluted in the order of decreasing size.In normal-phase systems, the separation selectivity in oligomeric series depends on the adsorption energy and on the adsorbed area of the oligomeric unit. If the oligomeric unit is small, the concentration of the polar solvent in the binary organic mobile phase has only a minor effect on retention and selectivity, which may be controlled by taking account of the nature of the adsorbent and of the polar solvent or by varying the proportion of two polar solvents in a ternary mobile phase.     

Retention mechanisms and selectivity in internal-surface reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Studies with cyanobacterial peptide toxins

Summary Microcystins-LA,-LR,-RR,-YR and nodularin, cyanobacterial peptide toxins, were separated by internal-surface reversed-phase (ISRP), high-performance liquid chromatography. The capacity factors of the toxins were measured in the range pH 2–8 using acetonitrile, isopropanol or tetrahydrofuran in potassium dihydrogenphosphate mobile phase. The main retention mechanism of the ISRP column was reversed-phase interaction but cation-exchange offered additional selectivity at neutral and slightly acidic pH. At neutral pH (10% modifier, 0.1 M buffer) the elution order was microcystin-LA (two nonpolar residues leucine and alanine as the variable amino acids), nodularin, microcystin-LR,-YR and-RR (two basic arginines as the variable amino acids). The retention times of all toxins except microcystin-RR were substantially longer at acidic pH. At pH 2 (10% modifier, 0.1 M buffer) where the cation-exchange mechanism was inoperative the elution order was changed to microcystin-RR, nodularin, microcystin-LR,-YR and-LA. The best separation was achieved at pH 2 where even two desmethylated microcystin-RR analogs could be separated from microcystin-RR.     

Analysis of nucleotides,nucleosides, nucleobases in cells by ion-pair reversed-phase HPLC

Summary HPLC methods for the separation of nucleotides, nucleosides and nucleobases by ion-pair reversed-phase are reviewed. The advantages of these are discussed versus anion-exchange and reversed phase separations. Extraction procedures for nucleotide determinations from cells and tissues are pointed out in detail. Extracts from red blood cells, Ehrlich ascites tumour cells, hepatocytes, intestine are used for determination of nucleotide concentrations by the methods described.     

Contributions to reversed-phase column selectivity. II. Cation exchange

The contribution of cation exchange to solute retention for type-B alkylsilica columns (made from high-purity silica) has been examined in terms of the hydrophobic-subtraction (H-S) model of reversed-phase column selectivity. The relative importance of cation exchange in the separation of ionized bases by reversed-phase chromatography (RPC) varies with (a) column acidity (values of the column cation-exchange capacity C), (b) mobile-phase pH and buffer concentration, and (c) the nature of the buffer cation. The effects of each of these separation variables on cation retention were examined. The contribution of cation exchange (and other ionic interactions) to solute retention is represented in the H-S model by properties of the solute (κ') and column (C), respectively. Values of κ' for 87 solutes have been examined as a function of solute molecular structure, and values of C for 167 type-B alkylsilica columns have been related to various column properties: ligand length (e.g., C(8) vs. C(18)) and concentration (μmol/m(2)), pore diameter (nm), and end-capping. These results contribute to a more detailed picture of the retention of cationic solutes in RPC as a function of separation conditions. While previous work suggests that the ionization of type-B alkylsilica columns is generally negligible with mobile-phase pH<7 (as a result of which cation exchange then becomes insignificant), the present study provides evidence for cation exchange (and presumably silanol ionization) at a pH as low as 3 for most columns.     

Solvent-strength selectivity in reversed-phase HPLC

Summary Solvent-strength selectivity refers to the variation of band spacing by changing the %-organic in the mobile phase (ion-pair or reversed-phase HPLC). A review of the literature has been combined with new experimental data to illustrate the general potential of this approach for HPLC optimization. It appears that most samples exhibit significant changes in band spacing method development based on solvent-strength optimization plus computer simulation (DryLab software) are given for illustration. For relatively simple mixtures (10 or fewer components), it appears that solvent-strength optimization compares favorably with other methods such as mapping the organic-solvent selectivity of methanol, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, and water.