Quantitative comparison of performance of isothermal and temperature-programmed gas chromatography.

As a basic metric of separation for comparing isothermal and temperature-programmed GC (gas chromatography), we used the separation measure. S (defined elsewhere). We used this metric as both a measure of separation of any two peaks, and a measure of separation capacity of arbitrary intervals where peaks can potentially exist. We derived several formulae for calculation of S for any pair of peaks regardless of their shape and the distance from each other in isothermal and temperature-programmed GC. The formulae for isothermal GC can be viewed as generalizations of previously known expressions while, in the case of temperature-programmed GC, no equivalents for the new formulae were previously known from the literature. In all formulae for S. we identified similar key component-metrics (solute separability, intrinsic efficiency of separation, specific separation measure, separation power) that helped us to identify and better understand the key factors affecting the separation process. These metrics also facilitated the quantitative comparison of separation capacities and analysis times in isothermal and temperature-programmed GC. Some of these metrics can be useful beyond GC. In the case of GC, we have shown that, if the same complex mixture was analyzed by the same column, and the same separation requirements were used then isothermal analysis can separate more peaks than its temperature-programmed counterpart can. Unfortunately, this advantage comes at the cost of prohibitively longer isothermal analysis time. The latter is a well know fact. Here, however, we provided a quantitative comparison. In a specific example, we have shown that a single-ramp temperature program with a typical heating rate yields about 25% fewer peaks than the number of peaks available from isothermal analysis of the same mixture using the same column. However, that isothermal analysis would last 1000 times longer than its temperature-programmed counterpart. Using twice as longer column in the case of a temperature-programmed analysis, allows one to recover the 25% disadvantage in the number of separated peaks, while still retaining a 500-fold advantage in the speed of analysis.     

Influence of the peak height distribution on separation performances: Discrimination factor and effective peak capacity

Summary A new index of performance of the chromatographic separation between two adjacent peaks, the discrimination factor, d₀, is defined. It is normalized between 0 and 1 and is directly and easily determined from the chromatogram. It does not depend on any assumption regarding peak shape, except that the peak profiles of individual sample components have a single mode. Its value depends on the relative heights of the two peaks as well as on their separation. The separation power of a chromatographic system is classically measured by its peak capacity, defined on the basis of constant resolution between adjacent peaks. A previously developed statistical theory of the composition of mixtures makes it possible to extend the concept of peak capacity by taking into account the peak height distribution in typical average chromatograms. A new parameter, the effective peak capacity, is defined for this purpose on the basis of a constant discrimination factor between adjacent peaks. It allows to take into account the distribution of peak heights in statistical theories of the evaluation of complex chromatograms and in the measurement of the limit of determination in quantitative analysis. The characteristics of the two new parameters, the discrimination factor and effective peak capacity, are discussed and compared with those of their classical homologs, resolution and peak capacity, in the case of gaussian component peaks of equal widths.     

Sample capacity in preparative high-speed counter-current chromatography

High-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) is a versatile technique in preparative separation and purification of pure compounds from complex matrices. As a preparative chromatography, there is a need to maximize the column production. Based on the plate theory of Van Deemter, the effect of the sample load on the separation was investigated in a preparative HSCCC with a 1000 ml column capacity. The test samples of hydroquinone, pyrocatechol and phenol were separated using a two-phase solvent system of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-ethanol-water (1:1:1:1, v/v/v/v) at different sample loads. The results showed that for the case of HSCCC, the agreement of the effect of sample load on peak height and peak width between the Van Deemter's theory and the experiments is excellent. Furthermore, the factors limiting the mass load, including the resolution between the peaks, the partition isotherm and the solute solubility were also discussed.     

Capillary electrochromatography with a silica column with a dynamically modified cationic surfactant.

A novel mode of capillary electrochromatography (CEC), called dynamically modified silica-capillary electrochromatography, is described in this paper. The column packed with bare silica was dynamically modified with long chain quaternary ammonium salt, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), which was added into the mobile phase. CTAB ions were adsorbed onto the surface of bare silica, and the resulted hydrophobic layer on the silica gel was used as the stationary phase. Using the dynamically modified silica column, neutral solutes were separated by CEC. The highest number of theoretical plates obtained was about 71,500/m and the relative standard deviations for t0 and capacity factor of toluene were 4.7% and 4.9% for 20 consecutive runs, respectively. The separation mechanism of neutral solutes and the influence of mobile phase composition on the separation was investigated. The separation of nitrogen-containing solutes was carried out with this mode and the peak tailing of basic solute was effectively eliminated because the adsorption of basic solute on silica was blocked by the preferred adsorption of CTAB.     

用反相液相色谱分离多肽时峰容量与色谱柱长度关系的研究

在蛋白质组学研究中,多肽混合物的有效分离对蛋白质鉴定和蛋白质之间相互作用的研究起着决定性的影响。基于此,用反相液相色谱研究了在两个不同长度的色谱柱上分离多肽混合物时色谱柱长度与峰容量的关系,同时考察了梯度洗脱时间对峰容量和峰宽的影响。实验结果表明,色谱柱长度对峰容量有显著的影响,而延长梯度洗脱时间不仅可以增加峰容量,而且可以增加峰宽。这说明用毛细管液相色谱 串联质谱联用方法对多肽混合物进行分离鉴定时,采用较长的色谱柱和较长的梯度洗脱时间有利于对更多的多肽进行分析鉴定。     

Simultaneous separation of hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds by using an online HILIC-RPLC system with two detectors

In the present study, we developed a novel online hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC)-RPLC separation system for simultaneous separation of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic solutes in a complex sample with one injection. A HILIC Si column and a C18 column were hyphenated with an interface including two electronic 2-position valves, a solvent pump, and a solute transfer column. By using column-switching technique, the nonretained hydrophobic solutes were eluted out of the HILIC column and transferred into the C18 column to perform further separation. The hydrophilic solutes were separated on the HILIC column at the same time. One detector was equipped for each column to record the individual chromatograms. By separating a standard mixture and a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) extract, the developed HILIC-RPLC system demonstrates its potential for "entire-components" separation of complex samples with improved peak capacity and throughput compared with the common single-column LC.     

Linear peak capacity of a comprehensive multi-dimensional separation

In order to resolve (quantifiably and identifiably separate) the same number of peaks in the analysis of the same mixture yielding statistically uniform peak distribution, a comprehensive 2-D separation needs a two times larger peak capacity than a 1-D separation does. Each additional dimension further reduces the utilization of the peak capacity of comprehensive multi-dimensional (MD) separation by a factor of two per dimension. As a result, the same peak capacity means different things for separations with different dimensionalities. This complicates the use of the peak capacity for comparison of the potential separation performance of the separations with different dimensionalities. To facilitate the comparison, a concept of a linear peak capacity has been proposed. The linear peak capacity of an MD separation is the peak capacity of a 1-D separation that, in the analysis of the same mixture, is statistically expected to resolve the same number of peaks as the MD separation is. There are other factors that differently affect the performance of the separations that have different dimensionalities. Peak capacity of a 2-D separation with a rectangular separation space is 27% larger than the product of the peak capacities of its first and second dimension. This advantage of a 2-D separation is essentially nullified by the fact that the peak capacity of the first dimension of an optimized 2-D separation cannot be higher than 80% of the peak capacity of its first dimension standing alone. All in all, the incremental peak capacity gained from addition of a second dimension will not exceed 50% of the peak capacity of the added second dimension. All results are valid for arbitrarily shaped (not necessarily Gaussian) peaks.     

Implications of column peak capacity on the separation of complex peptide mixtures in single- and two-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatography

Column peak capacity was utilized as a measure of column efficiency for gradient elution conditions. Peak capacity was evaluated experimentally for reversed-phase (RP) and cation-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) columns, and compared to the values predicted from RP-HPLC gradient theory. The model was found to be useful for the prediction of peak capacity and productivity in single- and two-dimensional (2D) chromatography. Both theoretical prediction and experimental data suggest that the number of peaks separated in HPLC reaches an upper limit, despite using highly efficient columns or very shallow gradients. The practical peak capacity value is about several hundred for state-of-the-art RP-HPLC columns. Doubling the column length (efficiency) improves the peak capacity by only 40%, and proportionally increases both the separation time and the backpressure. Similarly, extremely shallow gradients have a positive effect on the peak capacity, but analysis becomes unacceptably long. The model predicts that a 2D-HPLC peak capacity of 15,000 can be achieved in 8 h using multiple fraction collection in the first dimension followed by fast RP-HPLC gradients employing short, but efficient columns in the second dimension.     

Accumulating resampling (modulation) in comprehensive two-dimensional capillary GC (GC x GC)

During each sampling period, an accumulating resampler (modulator) in comprehensive 2-D chromatography accumulates all eluite from the first-dimension column and reinjects the whole or a portion of the accumulated material into the second-dimension column. The detrimental effect of the resampling on peak capacity of a 2-D separation comes from the broadening of the peaks along the first-dimension due to the resampling itself and due to the subsequent peak reconstruction. Sampling density (rho(S)) of resampling is the number of sampling periods per standard deviation of a peak at the outlet of the first-dimension column. It is shown that a simple formula describes the peak broadening as a function of rho(S) at any (even practically too low or too high) rho(S), for the peaks of any (not necessarily Gaussian) shape, for a wide class of peak reconstruction techniques, and for any 2-D separation (GC x GC, LC x LC, etc.). In capillary GC x GC, optimal rho(S) (rho(S,Opt)) depends on the type of the peak reconstruction and on the degree of the gas decompression along the second-dimension column. When reconstructing using linear interpolation, rho(S,Opt) = 0.7 at large and rho(S,Opt) = 0.5 at small gas decompression. The choice of exact optimal conditions is not critical. Thus, two-fold departure of actual rho(S) from rho(S,Opt) in either direction (under- or oversampling) causes only 10% drop in the net peak capacity of GC x GC. The quantitative effect of a much greater undersampling is also evaluated.     

腰果酚键合硅胶固定相的制备及其色谱性能北大核心CSCD

天然产物作为一种绿色低毒、来源广泛、功能位点丰富的单体,已被广泛应用于色谱固定相的研制与开发。该文以天然可再生资源腰果酚为配体,通过一步法开环反应将其接枝到由γ-缩水甘油醚氧丙基三甲氧基硅烷(KH-560)修饰的硅胶上,制备得到腰果酚键合硅胶固定相。利用傅里叶红外光谱、元素分析、热失重分析和N_(2)吸附脱附实验对固定相进行表征,结果表明成功制备了腰果酚键合硅胶色谱固定相。采用Tanaka实验试剂、烷基苯、多环芳香烃、苯酚类化合物和芳香族位置异构体为探针评价其分离性能和保留机制,并与C_(18)柱进行对比。研究发现,腰果酚键合固定相除疏水作用外,还具有π-π和氢键作用。基于上述保留作用,腰果酚键合硅胶固定相对测试探针表现出良好的分离性能。重复进样10次,各探针保留时间的RSD为0.052%~0.079%,峰面积的RSD为0.104%~0.847%,峰高的RSD为0.081%~0.272%,表明该色谱柱具有良好的重复性和稳定性。此外,腰果酚键合硅胶色谱柱对中药喜树果和吴茱萸果的粗提物具有良好的分离性能,验证了其在实际样品分析中的巨大潜力。将天然产物腰果酚用于色谱固定相的制备,为分离纯化喜树碱和吴茱萸提供了新的方法,同时拓展了腰果酚在色谱分离材料方面的应用。     

Relationship between selectivity and average resolution in comprehensive two-dimensional separations with spectroscopic detection

The average value of the multivariate selectivity (SEL) of randomly positioned peaks in a multi-component separation is shown to equal the average fraction of peaks that are singlets, as predicted by statistical-overlap theory (SOT). This equality is the basis for proposing a useful metric, specifically the average minimum resolution of nearest-neighbor peaks, for the performance of comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) separations. Furthermore this metric was computed both without ancillary spectroscopic information and with the assistance of such help, specifically multi-wavelength UV-vis spectra, acquired during the separation. Separations are simulated with randomly positioned peaks over wide ranges of total number of peaks, first- and second-dimension peak capacity, dimensionless first-dimension sampling time, and spectral diversity. The specific version of the general multivariate selectivity concept that is used here--identified as SEL--gives the relative precision of quantification when using the PARAFAC (parallel factor analysis) method, a popular curve resolution algorithm. The SEL values of all peaks were calculated, averaged, and compared to the predictions of SOT. In the absence of auxiliary spectral data, the SEL-based average minimum resolution required to separate two peaks in a 2D separation is 0.256, compared to resolution of 0.5 if no chemometric assistance is available. This was found to be valid over a wide range of conditions and is essentially independent of peak crowding. With the assistance of the spectral data, the requisite minimum resolution substantially improves, that is, it decreases, especially when peak crowding is severe. The requisite minimum resolution decreases even further, up to a limit, as the spectral diversity is increased. In contrast, the SEL-based average under-sampling correction factor is virtually independent of the presence of the additional spectral data, and additionally is about the same as calculated with SOT from the average number of maxima in closely analogous simulations. The use of selectivity greatly increases the fraction of peaks that are singlets, relative to the number of singlet maxima, especially when spectral assistance is added. The insensitivity of the under-sampling correction factor to either the use of selectivity or added spectral data simplifies optimization of the corrected peak capacity in on-line comprehensive 2D separations.     

Improved performance of comprehensive two-dimensional HPLC separation of traditional Chinese medicines by using a silica monolithic column and normalization of peak heights

Performance of comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography system is greatly improved than we reported previously by using a silica monolithic column as for the second dimensional separation. Due to the increase of the elution speed on the second dimensional monolithic column, the first dimensional column efficiency and analysis rate can be greatly improved as comparing with conventionally second dimensional column. The developed system was applied to analysis of methanol extraction of two umbelliferae herbs Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. and Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels by using CN column as for the first dimensional separation and a silica monolithic ODS column for the second dimensional separation, and the obtained three-dimensional chromatograms were treated by normalization of peak heights with the value of the highest peak or setting a certain value using a software written in-house. It was observed that much more peaks for low-abundant components in TCM extract can clearly be detected here than we reported before, due to the large difference for the amount of components in TCMs' extract. With the above improvements in separation performance and data treatment, totally about 120 components in methanol extraction of Rhizoma chuanxiong and 100 in A. sinensis were separated with UV detection within 130 min. This result meant that both the number of peaks detected increase twice but the analysis time decrease twice if comparing with the previously reported result.     

Detector technologies for comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography

The detector is an integral and important part of any chromatographic system. The chromatographic peak profiles (i.e. peak separation) should, ideally, be unaffected by the detector--it should only provide the sensing capacity required at the end of a column separation process. The relatively new technique of comprehensive 2-D GC (GC x GC) extends the performance of GC manyfold, but comes at a price--existing GC systems may not be adequately designed with the requirements of GC x GC in mind. This is primarily the need for precise measurement of very fast peaks entering the detector (e.g. as fast as 50 ms basewidth in some instances). The capacity of the detector to closely track a rapidly changing chromatographic peak profile depends on a number of factors, such as design of flow paths and make-up gas introduction, type of detector response mechanism, and the chemistry of the response. These factors are discussed here as a means to appreciate the technical demands of detection in GC x GC. The MS detector will not be included in this review.     

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.     

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography: metrics,potentials, limits

Metrics for evaluation of separation performance of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) and for quantitative comparison of that performance with similar performance of its 1D (one-dimensional) counterparts are described. The performance improvement can be expressed via reduction in the saturation of a chromatogram or-in the case of the uniform distribution of peaks along the second dimension--via the peak capacity gain due to GCxGC. An order of magnitude peak capacity gain due to the comprehensive GCxGC is possible under optimal conditions. Optimal parameters of the second dimension column as well as the optimal operational conditions for that column and for the modulator in a comprehensive GCxGC are also presented.     

Methacrylate monolithic capillary columns for gradient peptide separations

For the separation of peptides with gradient-elution liquid chromatography a poly(butyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) (BMA) monolithic capillary column was prepared and tested. The conditional peak capacity was used as a metric for the performance of this column, which was compared with a capillary column packed with C18-modified silica particles. The retention of the peptides was found to be smaller on the BMA column than on the particulate C18 column. To obtain the same retention in isocratic elution an approximately 15% (v/v) lower acetonitrile concentration had to be used in the mobile phase. The retention window in gradient elution was correspondingly smaller with the BMA column. The relation between peak width and retention under gradient conditions was studied in detail. It was found that in shallow gradients, with gradient times of 30min and more, the peak widths of the least retained compounds are strongly increased with the BMA column. This was attributed to the fact that these compounds migrate and elute with an unfavorable high retention factor. More retained compounds are eluted later in the gradient, but with a lower effective retention factor. With shallow gradients the peak capacity of the BMA column ( approximately 90) was clearly lower than that of a conventional packed column ( approximately 150). On the other hand, with steep gradients, when components elute with a low effective retention factor, the performance of the BMA column is relatively good. With a gradient time of 15min similar peak widths and thus similar peak capacities ( approximately 75) were found for the packed and the monolithic column. Two strategies were investigated to obtain higher peak capacities with methacrylate monolithic columns. The use of lauryl methacrylate (LMA) instead of butyl methacrylate (BMA) gave an increase in retention and narrower peaks for early eluting peptides. The peak capacity of the LMA column was approximately 125 in a 60min gradient. Another approach was to use a longer BMA column which resulted in a peak capacity of approximately 135 could be obtained in 60min.     

Threshold temperatures for solute mobility. Their determination and effect on programmed temperature gas chromatographic separations

The threshold temperature for solute mobility is defined as that temperature at which a solute band, which was initially cold trapped at the head of the column, begins moving through the column. It is shown that the separation of compounds by programmed temperature gas Chromatography (PTGC) occurs primarily at the head of the column as a result of differences in threshold temperatures. Additional column length beyoud that needed to trap the compounds improves resolution, primarily by delaying emergence (while maintaining the temperature and time spacing) thus allowing the column temperature to rise, the solute terminal velocities to increase, and narrower peak widths to be recorded. For maximum resolution in minimum analysis time, the initial temperature must be at or below the threshold temperature of the most volatile compound in the mixture to be separated. Three methods for determining threshold temperatures are presented.     

Comprehensive two‐dimensional monolithic liquid chromatography of polar compounds

Two‐dimensional liquid chromatography largely increases the number of separated compounds in a single run, theoretically up to the product of the peaks separated in each dimension on the columns with different selectivities. On‐line coupling of a reversed‐phase column with an aqueous normal‐phase (hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography) column yields orthogonal systems with high peak capacities. Fast on‐line two‐dimensional liquid chromatography needs a capillary or micro‐bore column providing low‐volume effluent fractions transferred to a short efficient second‐dimension column for separation at a high mobile phase flow rate. We prepared polymethacrylate zwitterionic monolithic micro‐columns in fused silica capillaries with structurally different dimethacrylate cross‐linkers. The columns provide dual retention mechanism (hydrophilic interaction and reversed‐phase). Setting the mobile phase composition allows adjusting the separation selectivity for various polar substance classes. Coupling on‐line an organic polymer monolithic capillary column in the first dimension with a short silica‐based monolithic column in the second dimension provides two‐dimensional liquid chromatography systems with high peak capacities. The silica monolithic C₁₈ columns provide higher separation efficiency than the particle‐packed columns at the flow rates as high as 5 mL/min used in the second dimension. Decreasing the diameter of the silica monolithic columns allows using a higher flow rate at the maximum operation pressure and lower fraction volumes transferred from the first, hydrophilic interaction dimension, into the second, reversed‐phase mode, avoiding the mobile phase compatibility issues, improving the resolution, increasing the peak capacity, and the peak production rate.     

使色谱峰产生拖尾的一个因素--柱出口效应

使用塔板理论证明存在一种使正常色谱峰产生拖尾的因素－柱出口效应。证明符合线性分配的样品组分虽然在色谱内存在3种不同浓度的分布形态,但在流出色谱后却都因柱出口效应的影响而转变成拖尾峰。在不加任何近似处理的情况下,使用塔板理论直接对不同塔板数、容量因子的色谱峰不对称性进行了计算;计算结果同样支持了柱出口效应的存在。     

Countercurrent chromatographic separation: a hydrodynamic approach developed for extraction columns

In countercurrent chromatography (CCC) both stationary and mobile liquids undergo intense mixing in the variable force field of a coil planet centrifuge and the separation process, like the separation in conventional solvent extraction column, is influenced by longitudinal mixing in the phases and mass transfer between them. This paper describes how the residence time distribution (or the elution profile) of a solute in CCC devices and the interpretation of experimental peaks, can be described by a recently developed cell model of longitudinal mixing. The model considers a CCC column as a cascade of perfectly mixed equal-size cells, the number of which is determined by the rates of longitudinal mixing in the stationary and mobile phases. Experiments were carried out to demonstrate the validation of the model and the possibility of predicting the partitioning behaviour of the solutes. The methods for estimating model parameters are discussed. Longitudinal mixing rates in stationary and mobile phases have been experimentally determined and experimental elution profiles are compared with simulated peaks. It is shown that using the cell model the peak shape for a solute with a given distribution constant can be predicted from experimental data on other solutes.