The gradient volume principle for fast evaluation of optimum conditions for isocratic analysis

Summary The paper describes by simple experiments in a pragmatical way by easy rules of thumbs gradient optimization. Besides selection of the stationary phase and initial and final conditions the two other important variables are program time and eluent flow rate. It is demonstrated, that when the product of both, the gradient volume, is kept constant, the solutes are always eluted with the same eluent composition at column outlet. At constant gradient volume, peak broadening depends on flow rate and on the eluent properties (viscosity) at which the solutes elute, and on the time the solutes spend in the column. Because peak broadening increases with increasing gradient volume, the peak capacity in gradient elution shows an optimum at gradient volumes around 15 empty column volumes (program times 45 to 60 min at flow rates of 1 ml/min with standard columns).Gradient elution can also be used for fast evaluation of optimum eluent composition for isocratic analysis. This procedure requires a calibration of the equipment for determination of eluent composition at column outlet. The sample is chromatographed in a standard gradient run of 10 to 15 empty column volumes. The eluent composition at which the solute of interest elutes during the gradient is used for isocratic analysis, where the k' value of this solute will then be around 2.Part of Ph. D. Thesis H. Elgass, Saarbrücken, 1978, present address Hewlett-Packard, Waldbronn, FRG. In part presented at Eastern Analytical Symposium, New York, 1982.     

Combined effect of temperature and organic modifier concentration on the retention under single mode gradient conditions in reversed-phase HPLC

The combined effect of temperature, T, and organic modifier concentration, phi, on the retention under gradient conditions in RPLC is studied by considering, both theoretically and experimentally gradients, of phi at constant T and gradients of T at constant phi. Two approaches are examined: in the first approach the prediction of the elution time of a sample solute is based on the isocratic/isothermal properties of this solute. The second approach is based on a direct fitting procedure of a proper retention model to 2-D isocratic/T-gradient or isothermal/phi-gradient retention data. These approaches were tested using alkylbenzes in eluting systems modified by ACN. We found that both approaches can give excellent predictions under certain prerequisites. However, the first approach exhibits the notable advantage that it can be used effectively to predict retention times under any kind of phi-gradients at constant T or T-gradients at constant phi. The second approach has the advantage that it is relatively simple but its applicability is very restricted since its predictions are satisfactory only if the gradients are of the same kind with those used in the fitting procedure and the conditions lie within those used for fitting.     

The prediction of the peak width at half height in HPLC

The prediction of the peak width at half height is an important aspect in the optimization of the chromatographic operating conditions. In this paper, a linear relationship, between the peak widths at half height and the retention values with various isocratic elution is observed. In gradient elution, however, the relationship between the peak widths at half height and the so-called invented retention values that correspond to the mobile phase composition by eluting the solute from the column end is developed. We believe that there is almost the same band width at half height inside the column (in unit of length) for different solutes. The peak width at half height in the chromatogram (in unit of time) is mainly determined by the capacity factor of the solute when it is eluted from the column end. The larger the capacity factor of a solute eluted from the column end, the more slowly will be the solute eluted from the column end and the wider will be the peak width at half height. It is possible to predict the peak width at half height in various isocratic and gradient elutions by using this linear relationship.     

反相高效液相三元流动相台阶梯度分离条件的快速优化方法

 根据溶质在柱内的迁移规律 ,建立了一种利用线性梯度实验快速获得溶质保留值方程系数 ,然后以串行响应函数为优化指标进行多台阶梯度分离条件优化的方法。与利用等度实验获得保留值方程的方法相比 ,该法可以大大缩短优化时间。通过该方法对芳香胺和衍生化氨基酸样品进行了分离 ,获得了满意的分离度 ,表明该方法的预测精度很好。     

梯度液相色谱保留时间公式在梯形梯度洗脱研究中的应用

根据前期得到的梯度液相色谱保留时间计算公式,在不指定溶剂强度模型形式的前提下,探讨了梯形梯度洗脱的一些特点。对于溶质在梯形梯度坡度上流出时的情形,推导得到溶质流出色谱柱所对应的流动相组成(φ_R)随梯度斜率(B)变化的表达式。该公式表明,在该情形中φ_R将会随着B值的增加而增加。对于溶质在梯形梯度最后一个等度区间流出时的情形,如果初始和终止流动相组成保持不变而仅有梯度的斜率发生变化时,从理论上证明了溶质保留时间(t_R)与梯度斜率的倒数(1/B)之间呈线性关系。实验中以C18色谱柱为固定相,甲醇-水为流动相,联苯为样品,测定了不同流动相组成以及梯形梯度条件下的保留时间,所得到的实验值与理论值吻合,从而验证了理论方法的正确性。     

Sample Solvent as Analyte in High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract

Solvents vary in their behavior in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Water and methanol, among others, are widely used in the mobile phase as well as solvents for the solute. Few reports indicate that the solvent used for the solute can behave as an analyte. Normally, it is generally accepted that the solute solvent, a non-constituent of the mobile phase will be the first eluent. However, a solvent which is a component of the sample can show up as an unexpected peak with its own identity. This solvent may show a similar retention time as some of the unknown components of the sample. This indicates that in some cases the quantitative results may be the sum of the absorptivity of the solute and solvent used for the sample. It is assumed that some solvents show no absorption in the ultraviolet region at which the analysis is being conducted. Depending on the mobile phase composition some solvents can be detected at the wavelengts or wavelengths used for analysis. Water, ethylacetate, and methanol showed absorption at 210 nm when present in the sample being analyzed with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-methanol using a C₁₈ column. These solvents overlapped or showed retention times the same as estriol and testosterone.     

Optimization of azeotropic protein separations in gradient and isocratic ion-exchange simulated moving bed chromatography

The separation of dilute binary mixtures of proteins by salt aided ion-exchange simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography is optimized with respect to throughput, desorbent consumption and salt consumption. The optimal flow-rate ratios are analytically determined via an adopted "triangle theory". Azeotropic phenomena are included in this procedure. The salt concentrations in the feed and recycled liquid are subsequently determined by numerical optimization. The azeotropic separation of bovine serum albumin and a yeast protein is used to illustrate the procedure. Gradient operation of the SMB is generally preferred over isocratic operation. A feed of azeotropic salt concentration can only be separated in a gradient SMB. Desorbent and salt consumption are always lower in gradient than in isocratic SMB chromatography.     

Prediction of elution bandwidth for purine compounds by a retention model in reversed-phase HPLC with linear-gradient elution

In reversed-phase liquid chromatography, the retention mechanism of solute has been studied under linearly programmed gradient mobile-phase conditions. The separation of a mixture of four purine compounds (purine, theobromine, theophylline, and caffeine) was considered as a practical case in two binary mobile phase systems, water/methanol and water/acetonitrile. The retention model which describes how the retention factor is related to the mobile-phase composition has been developed in various mathematical forms to predict the retention time in both linear and gradient elutions. For a pulse injection of sample, two important factors, the retention time and the bandwidth of solute, might be computable to predict the elution profiles estimated by the distribution function, such as the Gaussian distribution function. In this work, a prediction method based on the analogue of the retention model was proposed to calculate the bandwidth in linear gradient elutions. Band broadening was caused by the different migration velocities of the front and rear ends of the solute band in a chromatographic column. Therefore, the migration behaviors of the front and rear ends of the solute band were explained with the same retention model which had been used to predict the retention time of solute. For the well retained solutes, theophylline and caffeine, the predicted bandwidth and experimentally obtained bandwidth showed good agreement in both isocratic and gradient elutions.     

液相色谱梯度洗脱中的谱带压缩效应

谱带压缩效应是梯度洗脱区别于等度洗脱的重要特征。经典的范德姆特(van Deemter)理论塔板高度方程基于等度洗脱推导得到,因此不能对谱带压缩效应进行描述。在梯度洗脱中,保留因子(k)会随流动相组成(φ)的改变而发生变化,这就使得对梯度洗脱机理的研究要比等度洗脱复杂许多。该文对近10年来谱带压缩效应的研究进展,特别是溶剂强度模型(即描述ln k与φ关系的数学表达式)的非线性特征对谱带压缩因子(G)的影响进行了述评,指出为了更好地认识谱带压缩效应需要将这种非线性因素考虑在内。     

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.     

Characterization and prediction of retention in gradient-elution normal phase HPLC with ternary gradients

Summary Chromatographic behaviour of phenylurea herbicides and phenols on a silica gel column with ternary gradient elution using mobile phases containing dry 2-propanol, n-heptane and dioxane was investigated. With dried solvents and the temperature controlled to ±0.1 °C, the data from repeated experiments measured on the same column after ten months of use were reproducible. Algorithms were suggested for characterization and prediction of retention in ternary gradients at a constant ratio of the two polar solvents (elution strength gradients) and at a constant sum of their concentrations (selectivity gradients). These were based on two- and three-parameter equations describing the dependence of the sample retention factors (isocratic) on the concentration of the polar solvent in binary mobile phases. Presented at the 21^st ISC held in Stuttgart, Germany, 15^th–20^th September, 1996     

Optimization of stepwise gradient elution in columns chromatography

Summary A general equation for the final retention of a solute chromatographed under conditions of stepwise gradient elution has been derived. The elution process and the distances travelled by solutes as a function of eluent volume were simulated by computer for the optimization of stepwise gradient prorams from isocratic HPLC data. The validity of the equations was experimentally veritied.     

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.     

A binary-like approach for the computer assisted method development of isocratic and programmed ternary solvent elutions in reversed-phase liquid chromatography

A specific tool to enable exploration of multisolvent isocratic and programmed elutions for the computer assisted method development of reversed-phase liquid chromatography separations is described. The tool is purposely identical to those used in the optimization of binary solvent systems, which are by far the most commonly used by chromatographers. Existing data from failed binary solvent optimization processes are reused to explore ternary solvent systems with a few additional isocratic and programmed runs. This allows the development of efficient retention models for ternary systems, although the work of the chromatographer remains identical to that for optimization of binary systems. The retention models are used to develop an unattended optimization process and finally, the chromatographer selects the most satisfactory solution for testing and implementing in routine analysis. The process is exemplified with a mixture of 12 compounds that cannot be separated satisfactorily in aqueous binary solvent systems with methanol and acetonitrile as modifiers.     

Isocratic and gradient elution chromatography: a comparison in terms of speed, retention reproducibility and quantitation

Chromatographers are cautioned to avoid gradient elution when isocratic elution will do. In this work, we compared the analytical properties of gradient and isocratic separations of a sample which can be done quite readily under isocratic conditions. We found that gradient elution gave a shorter overall analysis with similar resolution of the critical pair compared to isocratic elution without sacrificing repeatability in retention time, peak area and peak height or linearity of the calibration curve. We also obtained acceptable repeatability in peak area/height and linearity of calibrations curves for a sample that required gradient elution using a practical baseline subtraction technique. Based on these results and related work which show that columns can be reequilibrated by flushing with less than two column volumes of the initial eluent, we conclude that many of the reasons given to avoid gradient elution deserve serious reconsideration, especially for those samples which are easily separated isocratically. However, we believe isocratic elution will remain preferable when: (1) the sample contains less than 10 weakly retained components (i.e. the last peak elutes with k' < 5) or (2) the gradient baseline impedes trace analysis.     

Retention modeling under organic modifier gradient conditions in ion-pair reversed-phase chromatography. Application to the separation of a set of underivatized amino acids

The combined effect of the ion-pairing reagent concentration, C _ipr, and organic modifier content, φ, on the retention under φ-gradient conditions at different constant C _ipr was treated in this study by using two approaches. In the first approach, the prediction of the retention time of a sample solute is based on a direct fitting procedure of a proper retention model to 3-D φ-gradient retention data obtained under the same φ-linear variation but with different slope and time duration of the initial isocratic part and in the presence of various constant C _ipr values in the eluent. The second approach is based on a retention model describing the combined effect of C _ipr and φ on the retention of solutes in isocratic mode and consequently analyzes isocratic data obtained in mobile phases containing different C _ipr values. The effectiveness of the above approaches was tested in the retention prediction of a mixture of 16 underivatized amino acids using mobile phases containing acetonitrile as organic modifier and sodium dodecyl sulfate as ion-pairing reagent. From these approaches, only the first one gives satisfactory predictions and can be successfully used in optimization of ion-pair chromatographic separations under gradient conditions. The failure of the second approach to predict the retention of solutes in the gradient elution mode in the presence of different C _ipr values was attributed to slow changes in the distribution equilibrium of ion-pairing reagents caused by φ-variation.     

Effect of Temperature in micro-HPLC Separation of PAHs under Isocratic Conditions Using Octadecyl and Alkylamide Phases

The main difficulty in micro-HPLC separation is the manipulation with the composition of the mobile phase (degassing of solvents and a slow establishment of equilibrium) but the problem of elution can be solved by temperature optimalization. The effect of temperature in micro-HPLC separation of the 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (mixture SRM 1647 of the US EPA) has been studied using conventional C₁₈ and new developed AP phase (an amide group localized in the hydrophobic ligands). All the investigations have been performed under isocratic conditions (binary hydroorganic mobile phase: acetonitrile/water). The results have shown that, in the case of AP phase, application of temperature gradient (from 298 to 303 K), enabled the attainment of complete 16 PAHs separation (especially of the first 4 solutes).     

Reversed-phase liquid chromatographic separation of complex samples by optimizing temperature and gradient time III. Improving the accuracy of computer simulation.

Previous studies have shown that four experimental runs, where both temperature T and gradient time tG are varied, can be used for the reliable prediction of separation as a function of these two variables (two-dimensional optimization). Computer simulation (e.g., DryLab) can then be used to predict "optimized" conditions for maximum sample resolution using either isocratic or gradient elution. Samples that contain a large number of components (e.g., n>15-20) present a greater challenge. Resolution for these more complex samples is often quite sensitive to small changes in T or tG in turn requiring greater accuracy in predictions that result from computer simulation. In the present study of several samples, we have examined computer simulation errors that can arise from inexact expressions for retention time as a function of T, tG or isocratic %B. Resulting conclusions are applicable to both complex and simpler samples, in either one- or two-dimensional optimization. Means to anticipate and minimize the impact of these predictive errors are examined.     

Blood porphyrins in binary mixtures of N,N-dimethylformamide with 1-octanol and chloroform: The energetics of solvation, (solute + cosolvent) interactions and model calculations

This study provides the first accurate analysis of the energetics of solvation of blood porphyrins in binary solvents which are considered as appropriate models for a smooth transition from a polar protein-like phase to an apolar lipid-like environment. Our results do indicate that hematoporphyrin dimethylether dimethylester (HDEDE) and deuteroporphyrin dimethylether (DDE), as well as the model of their ester side-chains ethyl acetate (EtOAc), reveal more exothermic solvation in chloroform (CHCl₃) than in dimethylformamide (DMF) and, especially, in 1-octanol (OctOH). The energetics of pair interaction between dissolved species and cosolvent molecules both in a protein-like and a lipid-like environment are clearly associated with these solvation effects. The interaction between blood porphyrins and DMF in OctOH is accompanied by large negative enthalpy changes at both temperatures, whereas in chloroform, forming strong H-bonds with dissolved species, the interaction is strongly thermochemically repulsive. All solute molecules interact in the energetically unfavorable way with OctOH and CHCl₃ in DMF, the effect being much stronger pronounced for chloroform. The most significant result of this work is that it is possible to connect this pair interaction in a highly diluted solution with the solute behavior in the entire range of the binary mixture. The approach proposed is independent of a solute and solvent structure, it provides a good prediction of the energetics of solvation in mixed solvents and can be extended for a lot of other biologically active solutes.