Performance and Maintenance of HPLC Columns

Chromatography is a separation and analysis method and the separation is the core. Therefore, HPLC columns are the heart of the chromatographic system. The requirements for the column are high efficiency, good selectivity and fast analysis speed.
Generally, the column length of about 10~30cm can meet the needs of complex mixture analysis. To achieve the optimal efficiency of HPLC columns, it is necessary to have reasonable column structure and filling technology.

Column filling and performance evaluation

The filling technology is an important link for the acquisition of HPLC columns. But the fundamental problem lies in the performance of the filler itself, and the supporting structure of the chromatography system is reasonable.
A qualified HPLC column evaluation report should provide the basic parameters, such as column length, inner diameter, column efficiency, etc.

Maintenance of HPLC columns

1. Use pre-column to protect analysis column;
2. The pH stability range of most reversed-phase chromatographic columns is 2~7.5;
3. Avoid drastic changes in mobile phase composition and polarity;
4. If a polar or ionic buffer solution is used as the mobile phase, the HPLC column shall be washed clean and stored in acetonitrile after the test;