Comparing monolithic and fused core HPLC columns for fast chromatographic analysis of fat-soluble vitamins

HPLC stationary phases of monolithic and fused core type can be used to achieve fast chromatographic separation as an alternative to UPLC. In this study, monolithic and fused core stationary phases are compared for fast separation of four fat-soluble vitamins. Three new methods on the first and second generation monolithic silica RP-18e columns and a fused core pentafluoro-phenyl propyl column were developed. Application of three fused core columns offered comparable separations of retinyl palmitate, DL-α-tocopheryl acetate, cholecalciferol and menadione in terms of elution speed and separation efficiency. Separation was achieved in approx. 5 min with good resolution (Rs > 5) and precision (RSD ≤ 0.6 %). Monolithic columns showed, however, a higher number of theoretical plates, better precision and lower column backpressure than the fused core column. The three developed methods were successfully applied to separate and quantitate fat-soluble vitamins in commercial products.

Performance of amines as silanol suppressors in reversed-phase liquid chromatography

In reversed-phase liquid chromatography, cationic basic compounds yield broad and asymmetrical peaks, as a result of their ionic interaction with the anionic free silanol groups present in the silica-based stationary phases (commonly derivatised with C18 groups). A simple way to improve the peak shape is the addition to the hydro-organic mobile phase of a reagent (usually called additive) with cationic character. This associates with the stationary phase to prevent the access of analytes to the free silanol groups. Cationic additives may interact electrostatically with the anionic silanols. The hydrophobic region of the additive may also associate with the alkyl chains bound to the stationary phase, with the positive charge oriented towards the mobile phase. The access to the silanol groups is thus blocked, but in turn, the stationary phase is positively charged and will repel the protonated basic compounds, which unless their polarity is sufficiently low, will elute at very short times. In this work, a comparative study of the performance of a group of amines (butylamine, pentylamine, hexylamine, cyclopentylamine, cycloheptylamine, N,N-dimethyloctylamine and tributylmethylammonium chloride), as modifiers of the chromatographic behaviour of basic compounds, is carried out. The behaviour is compared with that obtained with the ionic liquids 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride and 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, used as additives. The study revealed that the performance of the cationic additives to block the silanol activity is mainly explained by the additive size and its ability to be adsorbed onto the stationary phase.

Origin and correction of the deviations in retention times at increasing flow rate with Chromolith columns

Chromoliths can be used at flow rates beyond those feasible for conventional microparticulate packed columns. Ideally, the plots of the retention time versus the inverse of delivered flow rate should exhibit y-intercept of zero. However, significant positive deviations correlating with the solute polarity were observed for several compounds chromatographed with a Chromolith column, owing to the increased system pressure. Consequently, the dead time marker exhibits a smaller deviation, making the retention factors depend on the flow rate. Chromoliths are made of a silica-based monolith encapsulated within a PEEK tube, and should suffer larger stress with pressure than stainless steel columns, tending to inflate them and increase their volume. This decreases the linear velocity inside the column, and increases the retention at relatively low pressure (<200 bar). In contrast, frictional heating, which is an issue for microparticulate columns, seems to be less significant for the highly permeable Chromoliths. The usefulness of the retention time versus the inverse of the delivered flow rate plots to measure the deviations, whatever their origin, is shown. This allows the correction of the retention times to the ideal behaviour, where the retention factors are independent of the flow rate.