Thermodynamic and kinetic characterization of a bridged-ethylene hybrid C18 stationary phase

Mobile phase pH and organic modifier in reversed-phase LC–ESI-MS bioanalytical methods: assessment of sensitivity, chromatography and correlation of retention time with in silico logD predictions

Background: The aim of the work described herein was to undertake a systematic investigation of the effect of mobile phase pH and organic modifier in typical reversed-phase LC–MS methods with regard to ESI-MS response, chromatographic performance and correlation of retention time with in silico logD predictions. Results: For the test set of pharmaceutical analytes investigated, ESI-MS response was generally greater when employing methanol rather than acetonitrile as the organic modifier, and increases of up to tenfold were observed dependent on the pH-buffered mobile phase employed. Deleterious effects on chromatographic performance of protonated basic analyte were observed under conditions of neutral to weakly basic pH. A qualitative correlation between plots of predicted logD and observed retention time against pH was demonstrated. Conclusion: In the absence of a simple and/or predictive dependence of analyte ESI-MS response on the mobile phase pH, a practical evaluation should be undertaken when absolute sensitivity is paramount. The use of in silico predictions of analyte logD to direct the development of bioanalytical assays is broadly valid, but further scrutiny is recommended in predicting the retention of ionized analyte.

The use of methyl-β-cyclodextrin to solubilize cholesterol prior to coating onto a C18 stationary phase

The use of methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MBCD) as a mobile phase additive in reversed-phase liquid chromatography is explored, with the primary goal of using MBCD to solubilize cholesterol in reversed-phase mobile phases for cholesterol-coating of C18 stationary phases. MBCD is shown to increase the solubility of cholesterol in typical reversed-phase mobile phases, especially when the stoichiometric ratio of MBCD to cholesterol exceeds 2:1. Additional equivalents of MBCD further increase solubility, or allow for weaker solvents to be used. The use of weaker solvents allows for larger coating levels of cholesterol onto a C18 stationary phase than are possible without the use of MBCD. Stationary phases coated with cholesterol using MBCD as a co-additive have different selectivity than uncoated phases, especially with regards to phenyl and shape selectivity. Further, the use of MBCD as a mobile phase additive for the elution of cholesterol is examined. It is seen via van't Hoff analysis that the reduction in retention of cholesterol when MBCD is added to the mobile phase is enthalpically driven.

Profiling phospholipid elution in reversed-phase LC–MS/MS bioanalytical methods in order to avoid matrix effects

Background: Endogenous phospholipids have a profound matrix effect in bioanalytical LC–MS methods and considerable effort is invested in strategies to minimize their impact either by removal during sample processing or chromatographic separation during the analytical run. The aim of the research presented in this article was to investigate the latter approach, under reversed-phase conditions. Results: The retention of glycerophosphocholines (GPCs) in mobile phases employing acetonitrile demonstrated a complex ‘U-shaped’ relationship with the percentage of organic. Conversely, in mobile phases employing methanol, the relationship between retention and percentage of organic was entirely predictive and unaffected by changes in the mobile phase pH. The GPC elution profile was also qualitatively equivalent irrespective of the species from which the plasma was derived. Conclusion: The predictive nature of GPC retention, under reversed-phase chromatography and with MeOH as organic modifier, is an important finding that should allow for a more streamlined and simplified strategy in the development of bioanalytical assays.