Thomas S. McDonald

Wide injection zone compression in gradient reversed-phase liquid chromatography

Chromatographic zone broadening is a common issue in microfluidic chromatography, where the sample volume introduced on column often exceeds the column void volume. To better understand the propagation of wide chromatographic zones on a separation device, a series of MS Excel spreadsheets were developed to simulate the process. To computationally simplify these simulations, we investigated the effects of injection related zone broadening and its gradient related zone compression by tracking only the movements of zone boundaries on column. The effects of sample volume, sample solvent, gradient slope, and column length on zone broadening were evaluated and compared to experiments performed on 0.32mm I.D. microfluidic columns. The repetitive injection method (RIM) was implemented to generate experimental chromatograms where large sample volume scenarios can be emulated by injecting two discrete small injection plugs spaced in time. A good match between predicted and experimental RIM chromatograms was observed. We discuss the performance of selected retention models on the accuracy of predictions and use the developed spreadsheets for illustration of gradient zone focusing for both small molecules and peptides.

Accurate measurement of dispersion data through short and narrow tubes used in very high-pressure liquid chromatography

An original method is proposed for the accurate and reproducible measurement of the time-based dispersion properties of short L< 50cm and narrow rc< 50μm tubes at mobile phase flow rates typically used in very high-pressure liquid chromatography (vHPLC). Such tubes are used to minimize sample dispersion in vHPLC; however, their dispersion characteristics cannot be accurately measured at such flow rates due to system dispersion contribution of vHPLC injector and detector. It is shown that using longer and wider tubes (>10μL) enables a reliable measurement of the dispersion data. We confirmed that the dimensionless plot of the reduced dispersion coefficient versus the reduced linear velocity (Peclet number) depends on the aspect ratio, L/rc, of the tube, and unexpectedly also on the diffusion coefficient of the analyte. This dimensionless plot could be easily obtained for a large volume tube, which has the same aspect ratio as that of the short and narrow tube, and for the same diffusion coefficient. The dispersion data for the small volume tube are then directly extrapolated from this plot. For instance, it is found that the maximum volume variances of 75μm×30.5cm and 100μm×30.5cm prototype finger-tightened connecting tubes are 0.10 and 0.30μL(2), respectively, with an accuracy of a few percent and a precision smaller than seven percent.

Impact of the column hardware volume on resolution in very high pressure liquid chromatography non-invasive investigations

The impact of the column hardware volume (≃ 1.7 μL) on the optimum reduced plate heights of a series of short 2.1 mm × 50 mm columns (hold-up volume ≃ 80-90 μL) packed with 1.8 μm HSS-T3, 1.7 μm BEH-C18, 1.7 μm CSH-C18, 1.6 μm CORTECS-C18+, and 1.7 μm BEH-C4 particles was investigated. A rapid and non-invasive method based on the reduction of the system dispersion (to only 0.15 μL(2)) of an I-class Acquity system and on the corrected plate heights (for system dispersion) of five weakly retained n-alkanophenones in RPLC was proposed. Evidence for sample dispersion through the column hardware volume was also revealed from the experimental plot of the peak capacities for smooth linear gradients versus the corrected efficiency of a weakly retained alkanophenone (isocratic runs). The plot is built for a constant gradient steepness irrespective of the applied flow rates (0.01-0.30 mL/min) and column lengths (2, 3, 5, and 10 cm). The volume variance caused by column endfittings and frits was estimated in between 0.1 and 0.7 μL(2) depending on the applied flow rate. After correction for system and hardware dispersion, the minimum reduced plate heights of short (5 cm) and narrow-bore (2.1mm i.d.) beds packed with sub-2 μm fully and superficially porous particles were found close to 1.5 and 0.7, respectively, instead of the classical h values of 2.0 and 1.4 for the whole column assembly.

Repetitive injection method: a tool for investigation of injection zone formation and its compression in microfluidic liquid chromatography.

Sample introduction in microfluidic liquid chromatography often generates wide zones rather than peaks, especially when a large sample volume (relative to column volume) is injected. Formation of wide injection zones can be further amplified when the sample is dissolved in a strong eluent. In some cases sample breakthrough may occur, especially when the injection is performed into short trapping columns. To investigate the band formation and subsequent zone focusing under gradient elution in situations such as these, we developed the Repetitive Injection Method (RIM), based on the temporally resolved introduction of two discrete peaks to a column, mimicking both the leading and trailing edges of a larger, singly injected sample zone. Using titanium microfluidic 0.32 mm I.D. columns, the results of RIM experiments were practically identical to injection of a correspondingly larger single zone volume. It was also experimentally shown that zone width (spacing between two injected peaks) decreases during gradient elution. We utilized RIM experiments to investigate wide sample zones created by strong sample solvent, and subsequent gradient zone focusing for a series of compounds. This experimental work was compared with computationally simulated chromatograms. The success of sample focusing during injection and gradient elution depends not only on an analytes absolute retention, but also on how rapidly the analytes retention changes during the mobile phase gradient.

Intrinsic advantages of packed capillaries over narrow-bore columns in very high-pressure gradient liquid chromatography

250μm×100mm fused silica glass capillaries were packed with 1.8μm high-strength silica (HSS) fully porous particles. They were prepared without bulky stainless steel endfittings and metal frits, which both generate significant sample dispersion. The isocratic efficiencies and gradient peak capacities of these prototype capillary columns were measured for small molecules (n-alkanophenones) using a home-made ultra-low dispersive micro-HPLC instrument. Their resolution power was compared to that of standard 2.1mm×100mm very high-pressure liquid chromatography (vHPLC) narrow-bore columns packed with the same particles. The results show that, for the same column efficiency (25000 plates) and gradient steepness (0.04min(-1)), the peak capacity of the 250μm i.d. capillary columns is systematically 15-20% higher than that of the 2.1mm i.d. narrow-bore columns. A validated model of gradient chromatography enabled one to predict accurately the observed peak capacities of the capillary columns for non-linear solvation strength retention behavior and under isothermal conditions. Thermodynamics applied to the eluent quantified the temperature difference for the thermal gradients in both capillary and narrow-bore columns. Experimental data revealed that the gradient peak capacity is more affected by viscous heating than the column efficiency. Unlike across 2.1mm i.d. columns, the changes in eluent composition across the 250μm i.d. columns during the gradient is rapidly relaxed by transverse dispersion. The combination of (1) the absence of viscous heating and (2) the high uniformity of the eluent composition across the diameter of capillary columns explains the intrinsic advantage of capillary over narrow-bore columns in gradient vHPLC.

Solvent selectivity and strength in reversed-phase liquid chromatography separation of peptides.

A set of tryptic peptides was analyzed in reversed-phase liquid chromatography using gradient elution with acetonitrile, methanol, or isopropanol. We used these retention data as training sets to develop retention prediction models of peptides for the three organic eluents used. The coefficients of determination, R(2), between predicted and observed data were approximately 0.95 for all systems. Retention coefficient values of twenty amino acids calculated from a model were utilized to investigate differences in separation selectivity between acetonitrile, methanol, or isopropanol eluents. The experimentally observed difference in separation selectivity appears to be a complex interplay of multiple amino acids, each contributing to a different degree to overall peptide retention. While retention contribution of hydrophilic amino acids was higher in methanol than acetonitrile, peptides containing aromatic amino acids (tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan) exhibit relatively lower retention in methanol compared to acetonitrile. The differences between acetonitrile and isopropanol eluents were less pronounced. We also compared the relative elution strength of the three organic eluents for peptides. The relationship between the elution strength of two solvents is not linear, rather it was best fitted by a cubic polynomial function. Three solvents can be arranged in the order of increasing elution power as methanol

Ideal versus real automated twin column recycling chromatography process

The full baseline separation of two compounds (selectivity factors α<1.03) is either impractical (too long analysis times) or even impossible when using a single column of any length given the pressure limitations of current LC instruments. The maximum efficiency is that of an infinitely long column operated at infinitely small flow rates. It is determined by the maximum allowable system pressure, the column permeability (particle size), the viscosity of the eluent, and the intensity of the effective diffusivity of the analytes along the column. Alternatively, the twin-column recycling separation process (TCRSP) can overcome the efficiency limit of the single-column approach. In the TCRSP, the sample mixture may be transferred from one to a second (twin) column until its band has spread over one column length. Basic theory of chromatography is used to confirm that the speed-resolution performance of the TCRSP is intrinsically superior to that of the single-column process. This advantage is illustrated in this work by developing an automated TCRSP for the challenging separation of two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) isomers (benzo[a]anthracene and chrysene) in the reversed-phase retention mode at pressure smaller than 5000psi. The columns used are the 3.0mm×150mm column packed with 3.5μm XBridge BEH-C18 material (α=1.010) and the 3.0mm or 4.6mm×150mm columns packed with the same 3.5μm XSelect HSST3 material (α=1.025). The isocratic mobile phase is an acetonitrile-water mixture (80/20, v/v). Remarkably, significant differences are observed between the predicted retention times and efficiencies of the ideal TCRSP (given by the number of cycles multiplied by the retention time and efficiency of one column) and those of the real TCRSP. The fundamental explanation lies in the pressure-dependent retention of these PAHs or in the change of their partial molar volume as they are transferred from the mobile to the stationary phase. A revisited retention and efficiency model is then built to predict the actual performance of real TCRSPs. The experimental and calculated resolution data are found in very good agreement for a change, Δvm=-10cm3/mol, of the partial molar volume of the two PAH isomers upon transfer from the acetonitrile-water eluent mixture to the silica-C18 stationary phase.

Experimental evaluation of chromatographic performance of capillary and microfluidic columns with linear or curved channels.

We prepared 0.3 or 0.15mm i.d. columns from both fused silica capillaries and planar titanium wafers with machined grooves. Both types of devices were packed with sub-two micron C18 sorbent. Chromatographic efficiency and peak capacity were tested using LC instruments with low extra column dispersion (300nL2 or 30nL2 for 0.3 or 0.15mm i.d. columns, respectively). Micro column testing in gradient mode was less affected by extra column (pre-column) dispersion. To exploit this feature we developed a method for estimation of column efficiency from gradient analysis using the theoretical relationship (Pc-1)=N0.5×const. The validity of this relationship was experimentally verified using 2.1mm i.d. and 0.3mm i.d. columns. The (Pc-1) versus N relationship was experimentally determined with straight columns, which in turn was employed for the estimation of microfluidic column efficiency. Microfluidic devices with serpentine channels exhibited lower isocratic efficiency than straight capillary columns, but the loss of peak capacity was less significant. The loss chromatographic efficiency due to zone dispersion in serpentine microfluidic channels was more apparent for 0.3 than 0.15mm i.d. devices. Gradient performance of 0.15×100mm microfluidic columns was comparable to state-of-the-art 2.1×100mm columns packed with the same sorbent.

Impact of instrument and column parameters on high-throughput liquid chromatography performance

The speed and separation performance of high-throughput liquid chromatography (HT LC) was investigated. We evaluated the contributions of various experimental parameters to the total analysis cycle time, including column length (column void time), gradient delay, flow rate, auto-sampler (A/S) speed, and software related delays. The best case injection-to-injection cycle time of 22s was achieved using 12s gradient time and 2.1×20mm columns packed with 1.7μm C18 particles. The total 22s analytical duty cycle consisted of 2.5s column void time, 1.8s gradient delay, 12s gradient time, and approximately 5.7s for software setup delay time that served as column re-equilibration time. The achieved peak capacity for an alkylphenone sample was approximately 35, giving a peak production rate of 95 peaks per minute. We estimated the impact of LC system dispersion on peak capacity and peak production rate (peak capacity per unit of time). For HT LC scenarios (5-50mm columns and 4.8-120s long gradients) we observed that even a minor amount of system dispersion (2μL2) reduces the achievable peak capacity and peak productivity rate significantly. HT LC-MS analysis using 2.1×5mm guard column with duty cycle of 22s was successfully demonstrated.

Semi-preparative high-resolution recycling liquid chromatography

A semi-preparative high-resolution system based on twin column recycling liquid chromatography was built. The integrated system includes a binary pump mixer, a sample manager, a two-column oven compartment, two low-dispersion detection cells, and a fraction manager (analytical). It addresses challenges in drug/impurity purification, which involve several constraints simultaneously: (1) small selectivity factors (α < 1.2, poor resolution), (2) mismatch of elution strength between the sample diluent and the eluent causing severe band fronting or tailing, (3) diluent-to-eluent mismatch of viscosity causing viscous fingering and unpredictable band deformation, (4) low abundance of the impurity relative to the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) (<1/100), and (5) yield and purity levels to be larger than 99% and 90%, respectively. The prototype system was tested for the preparation of a trace impurity present in a concentrated solution of an API, estradiol. The ultimate goal was to collect ∼1 mg of impurity (>90% purity) for unambiguous structure elucidation by liquid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR 600 MHz and above). First, the particle size (3.5 μm) used to pack the 4.6 mm × 150 mm long twin columns is selected so that the speed-resolution of the recycling process is maximized at 4000 psi pressure drop. Next, the production rate of the process is also maximized by determining the optimum number (7) of cycles and the corresponding largest sample volume (160 μL) to be injected. Finally, the process is fully automated by programming the time events related to (1) sample cleaning, (2) transfer of the targeted impurity from one to the second twin column, and (3) impurity collection. The process was tested without interruption during one week for the collection of a trace impurity (α = 1.166, strong acetonitrile-methanol sample diluent, concentration ∼2 mg/L) from a concentrated (10 g/L) stock solution (60 mL total) of estradiol. The process enriches the impurity content relative to the API by about a factor ∼5000. For the lack of a sufficient collected amount (∼120 μg only) of the pure impurity (purity 50% only), NMR experiments could not provide reliable results. Instead, the combination of LC-MS (single ion monitoring) and UV absorption spectra (λmax shift) revealed that the targeted impurity was likely the low-abundant enol tautomeric form of the ketone estrone, a possible intermediate or by-product of the synthesis reaction of estradiol.