Solvent strength of multicomponent mobile phases in liquid—solid chromatography

Predictive chromatography of peptides and proteins as a complementary tool for proteomics

In the last couple of decades, considerable effort has been focused on developing methods for quantitative and qualitative proteome characterization. The method of choice in this characterization is mass spectrometry used in combination with sample separation. One of the most widely used separation techniques at the front end of a mass spectrometer is high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A unique feature of HPLC is its specificity to the amino acid sequence of separated peptides and proteins. This specificity may provide additional information about the peptides or proteins under study which is complementary to the mass spectrometry data. The value of this information for proteomics has been recognized in the past few decades, which has stimulated significant effort in the development and implementation of computational and theoretical models for the prediction of peptide retention time for a given sequence. Here we review the advances in this area and the utility of predicted retention times for proteomic applications.

Can the theory of gradient liquid chromatography be useful in solving practical problems?

Advances in the theory of gradient liquid chromatography and their practical impacts are reviewed. Theoretical models describing retention in reversed-phase, normal-phase and ion-exchange modes are compared. Main attention is focused on practically useful models described by two- or three-parameter equations fitting the experimental data in the range of mobile phase composition utilized for sample migration during gradient elution. The applications of theory for gradient method development, optimization and transfer are addressed. The origins and possibilities for overcoming possible pitfalls are discussed, including the effects of the instrumental dwell volume, uptake of mobile phase components on the column and size of the sample molecules. Special attention is focused on gradient separations of large molecules.

Adsorption model for retention in normal-phase liquid chromatography with ternary mobile phases

The review gives a link between the theory of adsorption from multicomponent solutions and liquid chromatography. The article surveys the methods developed to describe the retention in normal-phase chromatography with ternary mobile phases with emphasis on the results of the authors. In the model used the driving force for the separation is the difference in adsorption of a solute and all solvents onto the solid surface. The general equation generates a series of simple linear relationships to predict the retention factor in ternary mobile phase for which certain parameters remain fixed. Theoretical concepts are tested by comparison with experimental data. The correlations between parameters characterizing retention in ternary, binary and pure solvents are discussed.

Gradient elution in normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic systems

Gradient elution is widely used for separation of complex samples in reversed-phase HPLC systems, but is less frequently applied in normal-phase HPLC, where it has a notoriously bad reputation for poor reproducibility and unpredictable retention. This behaviour is caused by preferential adsorption of polar solvents used in mixed mobile phases, which may cause significant deviations of the actual gradient profile from the pre-set program. Another important source of irreproducible retention behaviour is gradual deactivation of the adsorbent by adsorption of even traces of water during normal-phase gradient elution. To avoid this phenomenon, carefully dried solvents should be used. Finally, column temperature should be carefully controlled during normal-phase gradient elution if reproducible results are to be obtained. Working with dry solvents at a controlled constant temperature and using a sophisticated gradient-elution chromatograph, reproducibility of the retention data in normal-phase gradient elution better than 2% may be achieved even over several months of column use. The retention data in gradient elution can be calculated accurately if appropriate corrections are adopted for the gradient dwell volume and for the preferential adsorption of the polar solvents using experimental adsorption isotherms. The average error of prediction for the corrected calculated gradient retention data was lower than 2% for a silica gel column and lower than 3% for a bonded nitrile column, which may be suitable for the optimization of separation. Further, a simple approach is suggested for rapid estimation of changes in the retention induced by a change in the gradient profile in normal-phase HPLC. For such a rough estimation, it is not necessary to know the parameters of the dependence of the solute retention factors on the composition of the mobile phase.

Influence of the stationary and mobile phase composition on solvent strength parameter εº and SP system parameter in NP column chromatography

It is shown that SP system parameters, previously used for the linearization of log k values in RP chromatography, can also be used in NP chromatography. Avery good linear correlation between SP parameter and the earlier described Snyder solvent strength parameter has been established. It was also found that the phase equilibrium constant K is independent of the polarity and concentration of the more polar component of binary solvent mixtures.

In situ adsorption studies at silica/solution interfaces by attenuated total internal reflection fourier transform infrared spectroscopy: examination of adsorption models in normal-phase liquid chromatography

ATR-FT-IR spectroscopy was employed to the study the adsorption of ethyl acetate and 2-propanol to the surface of thin silica sol-gel films in contact with n-heptane solutions. In situ vibrational spectra of silica-adsorbed species provided information regarding the mechanisms of solute retention and elution in normal-phase chromatography. Previous normal-phase chromatographic studies of ethyl acetate adsorption revealed nonlinear isotherms which were explained by both bilayer and adsorbate delocalization models. Infrared spectra of ethyl acetate at the silica surface versus concentration showed that nonlinear adsorption can be attributed to site heterogeneity, where adsorption to free silanols and surface-adsorbed water can be distinguished. Least-squares modeling of the data produced resolved spectra for the two sites and adsorption equilibrium constants that differed by about an order of magnitude. Adsorption of 2-propanol was best modeled by a single Langmuir isotherm showing no significant difference in adsorption energy for the two sites; 2-propanol was shown to easily displace ethyl acetate from the silica surface. Ethyl acetate could also displace 2-propanol from the silica, and least-squares modeling again revealed two-adsorbed-component spectra for ethyl acetate that were indistinguishable from spectra obtained when ethyl acetate adsorbed directly onto the surface.

Adsorption Behavior of Amphiphilic Polymers

The work reported here involves a study of the adsorption behavior of some amphiphilic polymers containing alternating copolymers of stearyl methacrylate, mono-n-octylitaconate, styrene, and 1-octadecene with maleic anhydride. We have employed chromatographic and thermogravimetric measurements in order to characterize the adsorption process. Silica gel was the stationary phase in the case of the polar column, and a mixture of THF/toluene or chloroform/toluene as the mobile phase. Toluene content in the mobile phase affects the capacity to desorb the polymer from the interface. The adsorption of the polymers onto silica substrates from toluene between other solvents has been measured also with static experiments. The results are discussed in terms of the incorporation of hydrophilic groups as maleic-anhydride or hydrophobic groups as stearyl and n-octyl chains. The solvent effect was also considered. Comparison of the adsorption isotherms for PA-18 onto hydrophilic substrate (Aerosil 200) from two different solvents shows strong competition of THF with the surface functionality of the substrate by the PA-18. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Description and prediction of retention in normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with binary and ternary mobile phase

The suitabilities of several earlier reported models for description and prediction of retention in normal-phase systems with mobile phases comprised of two organic solvents-a polar and a non-polar one-were tested on the chromatographic behaviour of phenylurea herbicides and alkyl-, aryl- and nitrophenols as sample solutes with a silica-gel column and 2-propanol, n-heptane and dioxane as mobile phase components. With few exceptions, the data obtained from the best-fit three-parameter retention equation differ from the experimental capacity factors at less than 0.1, or 2%, and for most compounds the fit is better than 1%. Of the two two-parameter equations derived from theoretical models, one failed to describe the retention behaviour. The fit of the other two-parameter equation to the retention data of phenols is slightly inferior than with the three-parameter equation. The differences between the fitted data and the experimental capacity factors of substituted phenylureas were < or = 0.2, or 5%. Three-parameter equations were suggested to describe the retention behaviour in three-component mobile phases either at a constant sum or at a constant ratio of the two stronger solvents in ternary mobile phases. To fit the three-component data at any combination of concentrations of the three solvents with the error comparable to that in binary mobile phases, a nine-parameter equation is necessary. Suitability of these equations to describe the experimental behaviour of substituted phenylureas and phenols was verified in ternary mobile phases with various concentrations of 2-propanol, dioxane and n-heptane. Finally, a method was suggested for the prediction of retention in ternary mobile phases with varying concentration ratios of the two polar solvents from the parameters of best-fit equations in binary mobile phases and a single experimental capacity factor in a ternary mobile phase. For most capacity factors, the error of prediction was lower than 0.2, or 5%. Dried solvents were used to improve the reproducibility of the results and the temperature was controlled to +/-0.1 degree C in all experiments. With these precautions, differences between the original retention volumes and the data from repeated experiments measured after ten months of use of the column in the system tested were less than 0.2 ml for 85% of the values compared.

Selection of high-performance liquid chromatographic methods in pharmaceutical analysis. II. Optimization for selectivity in normal-phase systems

Optimization of selectivity in normal-phase chromatography was studied. Using the same optimization criteria (Rs,min, Dmin, Rsb and Rsa) as in Part I the possible combination of "solvent strength" optimization by variation of the percentage of polar modifier in the less polar mobile phase and "solvent type" optimization by measuring the solvent selectivity of chloroform, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran and dioxane was examined. From the results it can be concluded that by replacement of medium-polarity solvents (chloroform, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran and dioxane) in the mobile phase, the selectivity of the separation can be significantly improved as the elution order is a function of solvent type belonging to Class P. In the separation of a steroid mixture dioxane provides the best properties for improving band spacing.

Solvent selectivity in the resolution of some regioisomeric and diastereomeric prostaglandin intermediates on silica

The possibilities of predicting the selectivity in the resolution of regioisomeric and diastereomeric prostaglandin intermediates on silica gel was investigated. A satisfactory correlation between log alpha and the solvent localization parameters m and m0 was obtained, confirming the importance of solvent-solute localization in determining alpha values. The results will be useful in developing further the theory of the selectivity of resolution.