SIMULTANEOUS CALIBRATION OF MOLECULAR WEIGHT SEPARATION AND COLUMN DISPERSION OF SEC WITH CHARACTERIZED POLYMER STANDARDS

With the aid of the theoretical relationship between the calibration relation of a SEC column for the monodisperse polymer species under ideal working condition and the effective relations between the molecular weight and the elution volume for characterized polymer samples, a computational procedure for simultaneous calibration of molecular weight separation and column dispersion is proposed. From the experimental chromatograms of narrow MWD polystyrene standards and broad MWD 1,2-polybutadiene fractions the spreading factors of a SEC column was deduced by the proposed method. The variation of the spreading factor with the elution volume is independent upon the polymer sample used.     

用多分散高聚物标样作凝胶色谱的分子量分离和扩展效应同时校准

根据凝胶色谱柱在理想工作条件下单分散高分子组分的校准关系与多分散试样的实效关系之间的理论联系,建议了一种简单的觅数方法,同时作凝胶色谱柱的分子量分离和扩展因子的校准。用本法从窄分布的聚苯乙烯和宽分布的1,2-聚丁二烯级分的实验谱图得到的所用凝胶色谱柱的扩展因子与淋出体积间的关系相互重合,与试样种类无关。     

一种新的标定体积排除色谱（SEC）的方法

基于体积排除色谱中测得的淋出体积和动态激光光散射中测得的平动扩散系数都直接依赖于高分子的流体力学体积这一事实，本文在理论上提出了一种把淋出体积分布和平动扩散系数分布二者结合起来标定体积排除色谱的新方法，并且在实验上通过对宽分布的聚苯乙烯标准样品的测试证实了该方法的可行性．     

Calibration of ultrafiltration membranes against size exclusion chromatography columns

Using the extension of the concept of universal calibration parameter, yielding a relation between the hydrodynamic volume of molecules and the elution volume in size exclusion chromatography (SEC), to retention coefficients in ultrafiltration (UF), we propose a direct calibration of UF membranes against chromatography columns. Plotting the retention coefficient by one given UF membrane of a series of probe molecules versus their elution volume in SEC chromatography provides a calibration curve for this membrane. For a wide range of retentions, such calibration can be directly used to predict the retention of any molecule: one only needs to measure its exclusion volume by the SEC column, and read the retention by the calibrated membrane on the calibration curves.     

Size Exclusion Chromatography with Low Angle Laser Light Scattering Detection

Abstract

A review is given of the use of low angle laser light scattering (LALLS) detection in conjunction with size exclusion chromatography (SEC) to measure polymer molecular weight distributions without conventional SEC column calibration methods. A summary of light scattering theory is presented, and instrument configurations and principles of operation are described for two LALLS photometers. Also discussed are the overall performance of the SEC/LALLS technique and data from selected applications.     

Elution Behavior of Oligomers on a Polyvinyl Alcohol Gel Column with Chloroform,Methanol, and Their Mixtures

Abstract

Elution phenomena of size exclusion chromatography (SEC) plus superimposed adsorption effects for oligostyrenes, epoxy resins, methylated melamine-formaldehyde resin prepolymers, p-cresolformaldehyde resin prepolymers, and phenol-formaldehyde resin prepolymers were investigated. SEC and superimposed adsorption effects could be elucidated from a concept of solubility parameter. Minimum retention volumes of these oligomers were obtained with the mobile phases of chloroform/methanol, 80/20 or 60/40 (v/v), and separation was expected to be mostly performed by SEC. The solubility parameter of polyvinyl alcohol gels was estimated to be between 21 and 23 from the above results. Elution for normal phase chromatography was in the order of increasing molecular weight and that for reversed-phase chromatography was in the order of decreasing molecular weight. These are reversed phenomena to those for low-molecular weight compounds. Solubility of sample solutes to mobile phase must be considered. Methanol mobile phase-polyvinyl alcohol gel system might be exception.     

Size Exclusion Chromatography of Poly(vinylpyrrolidone)

Abstract

Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) and poly(ethylene oxide) separate by hydrodynamic volume on Toyo Soda TSK-PW columns in a mixed solvent mobile phase of 50:50 (v/v) MeOH/H₂O containing 0.1M LiNO₃. From this separation a single universal calibration curve based on hydrodynamic volume [η]M can be obtained. Accurate weight average molecular weights of PVP were obtained by both SEC/LALLS and universal calibration showing good agreement between the two methods. SEC/LALLS overestimates the number average molecular weight for broad distribution polymers due largely to the lack of sensitivity of the LALLS detector to the low molecular weight portion of the polymers, while the universal calibration method slightly underestimates the number average molecular weight as compared to osmometric values.     

Size Exclusion Chromatography of Quaternized Poly(vinylpyrrolidone-co-dimethyl Amino Ethyl Methacrylate) Copolymer (PVPDMAEMA): Absolute Molecular Weights and Molecular Weight Distributions by Low Angle Laser Light Scattering and Universal Calibration

Abstract

In 0.1M tris. pH 7 buffer containing 0.5M LiNO₃, PVPDMAEMA (which exists as a cationic polyelectrolyte) was found to elute based on hydrodynamic volume on Waters Ultrahydrogel columns. Within the exclusion limit of the column set an accurate weight average molecular weight of PVPDMAEMA can be obtained by universal calibration which is in very good agreement with the SEC/LALLS result.     

Development and qualification of a size exclusion chromatography coupled with multiangle light scattering method for molecular weight determination of unfractionated heparin

The molecular weight of unfractionated heparin was determined by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled with multiangle light scattering (MALS) detection. The SEC/MALS method determines absolute molecular weight directly from the angular dependence of scattered light intensity as a function of concentration and does not rely on molecular weight standards for column calibration. The SEC/MALS method developed at Scientific Protein Laboratories was qualified in terms of specificity, precision, robustness, and accuracy. By eliminating the requirement of well-characterized molecular weight standards derived from heparin, the present procedure represents a clear improvement over the column calibration methods used in molecular weight determination. The SEC/MALS method is suitable for routine quality control of unfractionated heparin.     

Size Exclusion Chromatography Calibration Assessment Utilizing Coupled Molecular Weight Detectors

Abstract

This paper shows that the usual method of representing an SEC calibration curve by a single polynomial curve may often be inadequate with new high resolution columns. Data points wind about the fitted line. The significant magnitude and systematic nature of these deviations clearly appear when a plot of residuals is derived from the conventional calibration curve and expressed in terms of the percent error in molecular weight. The deviation of the calibration data from the fitted line was approximately 10% for the conventional molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity calibration curves. It became 20% for the universal calibration curve. LALLS and DV detectors were used together with the DRI detector to provide evidence that the calibration curve deviations were due to the column packings and not due to some other cause (e.g., vendor values of molecular weight). Use of a polynomial fit to a portion of the curve corresponding to the retention volume range of an unknown was used to show the significant improvement in results which occurred when the calibration variations were taken into account. At present, use of many individual narrow standards is necessary to elucidate the effect.     

Elution Behaviors and Rationalized Calibration for Low-Molecular-Weight Polymers in Size Exclusion Chromatography

Abstract

Molecular weight relationships among oligostyrene, n-hydrocarbon, epoxy resin, p-cresol novolak resin, and oligoethylene glycol having the same retention volume were discussed using SEC gels of different pore sizes in chloroform and tetrahydrofuran. Gel capacity and the maximum number of components resolvable increased with the use of chloroform except the case of epoxy resin. Different elution behaviors of oligomers in different eluents make it difficult to use molar volumes or effective chain lengths as calibration parameters. The influence of the pore size and shape of the gel on the elution order among oligomers was negligible except some cases. Molecular weight conversion equations for several oligomers based on molecular weight of oligostyrene or n-hydrocarbon were derived. These equations make it possible to use oligostyrene or n-hydrocarbon as a reference standard when molecular weights of oligomers are measured.     

Improved accuracy in the determination of field-flow fractionation elution volumes.

Conventional operation of field-flow fractionation (FFF) systems involves carrying out the analysis at a constant flow of carrier; the flow is temporarily interrupted after injection of a sample in order to permit its equilibration under the applied field. Retention is calculated as the ratio of elution times for a non-retained species and the sample of interest, respectively. Such time-based retentions are only valid if the flow-rate is precisely known at all times during the run. The peristaltic pumps often used with FFF equipment are shown to have an output which varies unpredictably in time. Furthermore, initiation of flow after relaxation is shown to result in significant periods of transient behaviour while the system adjusts to the operating pressure. These and other variations in flow-rate can be eliminated as sources of error by basing the retention measurement on effluent weight, rather than on time. For this purpose, an electronic balance is interfaced with the system's computer, so that detector response/effluent weight data pairs are continuously monitored during the course of the FFF analysis.     

Effect of steric exclusion on the separation of proteins by hydrophilic size-exclusion chromatography

On the basis of studying the retention and band broadening of proteins on the TSK SW column, diffusion coefficients (Ds) of solute in stationary phase were obtained which elucidate the hydrodynamic process of chromatographic resolution of proteins by hydrophilic size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). After calculating the correlation between Ds and the molecular weight of the solute, the molecular dimensions of proteins in the process of chromatographic separation can be predicted. Deviations in diffusion coefficient of a protein from the calculated value reflect differences of measured molecular dimensions from molecular volumes predicted from the calibration curve of the SEC column. This study illustrates a convenient method for estimating the purity of proteins by SEC. Deviations from 2 lambda dp (where dp is the particle diameter) in the intercept of the theoretical plate height (H) versus flow-rate (U) curve from the band broadening equation H = CsU + 2 lambda dp + f(alpha M)T (where CsU represents mass transfer resistance caused by solute diffusion in the stationary phase and f(alpha M)T an added term for polydisperse solutes as proposed by Knox and McLennan [Chromatographia, 10 (1977) 75]) reflect impurities in the proteins.     

Characterization of branched ultrahigh molar mass polymers by asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation and size exclusion chromatography

The molar mass distribution (MMD) of synthetic polymers is frequently analyzed by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled to multi angle light scattering (MALS) detection. For ultrahigh molar mass (UHM) or branched polymers this method is not sufficient, because shear degradation and abnormal elution effects falsify the calculated molar mass distribution and information on branching. High temperatures above 130 °C have to be applied for dissolution and separation of semi-crystalline materials like polyolefins which requires special hardware setups. Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) offers the possibility to overcome some of the main problems of SEC due to the absence of an obstructing porous stationary phase. The SEC-separation mainly depends on the pore size distribution of the used column set. The analyte molecules can enter the pores of the stationary phase in dependence on their hydrodynamic volume. The archived separation is a result of the retention time of the analyte species inside SEC-column which depends on the accessibility of the pores, the residence time inside the pores and the diffusion ability of the analyte molecules. The elution order in SEC is typically from low to high hydrodynamic volume. On the contrary AF4 separates according to the diffusion coefficient of the analyte molecules as long as the chosen conditions support the normal FFF-separation mechanism. The separation takes place in an empty channel and is caused by a cross-flow field perpendicular to the solvent flow. The analyte molecules will arrange in different channel heights depending on the diffusion coefficients. The parabolic-shaped flow profile inside the channel leads to different elution velocities. The species with low hydrodynamic volume will elute first while the species with high hydrodynamic volume elute later. The AF4 can be performed at ambient or high temperature (AT-/HT-AF4). We have analyzed one low molar mass polyethylene sample and a number of narrow distributed polystyrene standards as reference materials with known structure by AT/HT-SEC and AT/HT-AF4. Low density polyethylenes as well as polypropylene and polybutadiene, containing high degrees of branching and high molar masses, have been analyzed with both methods. As in SEC the relationship between the radius of gyration (R(g)) or the molar mass and the elution volume is curved up towards high elution volumes, a correct calculation of the MMD and the molar mass average or branching ratio is not possible using the data from the SEC measurements. In contrast to SEC, AF4 allows the precise determination of the MMD, the molar mass averages as well as the degree of branching because the molar mass vs. elution volume curve and the conformation plot is not falsified in this technique. In addition, higher molar masses can be detected using HT-AF4 due to the absence of significant shear degradation in the channel. As a result the average molar masses obtained from AF4 are higher compared to SEC. The analysis time in AF4 is comparable to that of SEC but the adjustable cross-flow program allows the user to influence the separation efficiency which is not possible in SEC without a costly change of the whole column combination.     

Size Exclusion Chromatography of Poly(vinylpyrrolidone): I. The Chromatographic Method

Abstract

The optimum size exclusion chromatographic (SEC) method for poly-(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) was found to be based upon a stationary phase of diol derivatized silica of pore sizes 3000, 500, and 75Å and a mobile phase of 50:50 (v/v) MeOH/H₂O containing 0.1M-LiNO₃. Sample recovery under identical conditions varied for the commercial packings investigated and was found to be inversely related to molecular weight. The latter phenomenon was rationalized on the basis of a limited number of active substrate sites available for binding. Methanol was found to be a more effective mobile phase modifier than either dimethyl formamide or acetonitrile apparently due to its ability to function as a proton donor in hydrogen bonding with PVP. Chromatographic evidence for the existence of semipolyampholyte character in PVP is presented. A procedure for the construction of a column set log-linear in calibration and of extended dynamic range is described and is based upon hydrodynamic volume theory.     

Determination of closantel residues in milk and animal tissues by HPLC with fluorescence detection and SPE with oasis MAX cartridges

A liquid chromatographic method for the determination of closantel residues in milk and tissues is developed and validated. An acetonitrile-acetone solution (80:20, v/v) is used for the extraction of closantel residues from milk and animal tissues, and the extract is purified by solid-phase extraction with Oasis MAX cartridges and a mixture of formic acid-acetonitrile (5:95, v/v) as the elution solution. A C(18) bonded silica column is used for chromatographic separation. The mobile phase consists of acetonitrile-water (85:15, v/v) containing 0.05% triethylamine at pH 2.5, adjusted with phosphoric acid with the flow-rate set at 1.0 mL/min. Using the fluorescence emission of closantel at lambda(ex) = 335 nm and lambda(ex) = 510 nm, the calibration curve is linear, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9999 over the concentration range of 10-5000 microg/kg for the tissue sample and 10-5000 microg/L for the milk sample. The detection limit (s/n = 3) is 3 microg/kg for tissue sample and 3 microg/L for milk sample. The intra- and inter-day repeatabilities are between 3.35-7.66% and 4.04-8.67%, respectively. The proposed method enables the quantitative determination of closantel residues at levels as low as 10 microg/kg in animal tissue samples and 10 microg/L in milk samples.     

Separation of poly-3-hydroxyvalerate-co-3-hydroxybutyrate through gradient polymer elution chromatography

Polyhydroxyalkanoates are biodegradable polyesters produced by bacteria that can have a wide distribution in molecular weight, composition of monomers, and functionalities. This large distribution often leads to unpredictable physical properties making commercial applications challenging. To improve polymer homogeneity and obtain samples with a clear set of physical characteristics, poly-3-hydroxyvalerate-co-3-hydroxybutyrate copolymers were fractionated using gradient polymer elution chromatography (GPEC) as opposed to extensively used bulk fractionation. Separation was achieved using a reversed-phase column with chloroform and ethanol as the solvent and non-solvent, respectively. A separation was also conducted on a normal-phase column to compare elution patterns between columns of varied polarity. The fractions were analyzed using Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) and NMR to determine the percentage of 3-hydroxyvalerate in the copolymer as well as its molecular weight. It was found that as the percentage of "good" solvent was increased in the mobile phase, the polymers eluted with decreasing percentage of 3-hydroxyvalerate and increasing molecular weight which indicates the importance of precipitation/redissolution in the separation. The elution pattern of the polymer remained unchanged when using both a normal- and reversed-phase column which also illustrates the dominance of precipitation/redissolution in GPEC of polyhydroxyalkanoates. As such, GPEC is shown to be an excellent choice to provide polyhydroxyalkanoate samples with a narrower distribution in composition than the original bulk copolymer sample.     

Semi-micro size-exclusion chromatography: Molecular-weight measurement of poly (ethylene terephthalate) and separation of oligomers and prepolymers

Summary Several polystyrene gels of different pore sizes were packed into a 500 mm×2.1 mm I.D. column. Semi-micro size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) using these columns was carried out with a system consisting of a triple piston pump, a micro loop injector and a flow cell with 1.0-μl cell volume constructed for semi-micro HPLC, because the dead volume of the injector and the cell volume of flow cell for conventional HPLC caused a significant loss in column efficiency. The effects of sample amount, injection volume and mobile phase flow rate on column efficiency and retention volume were examined and the optimized operational variables of the sample amount (below 500 μg), the injection volume (less than 15 μl) and the flow rate range (30–70 μl/min) determiend for semi-micro SEC. Oligostyrene, epoxy resin, phenol-formaldehyde resin and phthalates were analyzed by the optimized semi-micro SEC system under the given conditions. In addition, molecular weight distribution of four different poly(ethylene terephthalate) films was successfully measured by using a mixture of chloroform and hexafluoroisopropanol as the eluent.     

Analysis of proanthocyanidins by high-performance gel permeation chromatography

A high-performance gel permeation chromatography method was developed for the analysis of proanthocyanidins. The isocratic method consisted of two porous polystyrene-divinylbenzene columns (300 x 7.5 mm each, 5 microm, 100 and 500 A individual pore size) and a mobile phase consisting of N,N-dimethylformamide containing 1% (v/v) acetic acid, 5% (v/v) water and 0.15 M lithium chloride. The flow-rate was maintained at 1 ml/min, with a column temperature of 60 degrees C and with detection at 280 nm. The method was used to analyze proanthocyanidin fractions of increasing molecular mass and from different plant tissues. The average molecular mass of proanthocyanidin fractions as determined by acid catalysis in the presence of phloroglucinol, related well with their gel permeation chromatography column retention, yet significant differences in the retention properties between individual plant tissue isolates existed. Proanthocyanidin compositional differences between isolates may explain these differences. A second-order calibration curve was generated from fractionated grape seed proanthocyanidins and this curve was used to analyze grape seed proanthocyanidins isolated from grapes harvested at extremes of maturity.     

Determination of elemental sulfur by size-exclusion chromatography optimization and petrochemical applications

Factors affecting the elution of elemental sulfur beyond the total permeation limit of a size-exclusion chromatographic (SEC) column are investigated. The pore diameter of the column packing is found to be the most important parameter, and optimum results are achieved from a single 10³ Å pore polystyrene-divinylbenzene column with tetrahydrofuran as solvent. It is shown that both the column temperature and solvent flow-rate have little or no influence on the resolution of sulfur from other sample components. The apparent anomalous elution behavior of sulfur is validated by two independent approaches, and is addressed in terms of electronic interactions between sulfur and the phenyl ring of the polystyrene-divinylbenzene packing. The solubilities of sulfur in typical alkylate, naphtha and reformate samples at room temperature have been determined by the SEC method. The amounts of sulfur in typical hydrotreated cracked naphtha and gas oil samples from pilot unit runs have also been measured. These results are discussed in relation to relative solubilities of sulfur in compounds belonging to different hydrocarbon classes. Specifically, the solubility of sulfur is found to decrease with hydrocarbon type in the order, aromatics>naphthenes>olefins>n-alkanes>isoalkanes.