Chromatographic evaluation of self-immobilized stationary phases for reversed-phase liquid chromatography

Preparation and characterization of poly(methyltetradecylsiloxane) stationary phases immobilized by gamma radiation onto zirconized silica

The preparation of stationary phases with enhanced chemical stability in alkaline eluents has been the principal objective of many chromatographers. New and improved silica substrates and advanced chemical modification methods are among the possibilities being investigated to reach this objective. The present work has evaluated these two possibilities for new stationary phases. First, the silica surface was modified by reaction with zirconium tetrabutoxide to produce zirconized silica particles having about 21% (w/w) of zirconium. Then poly(methyltetradecylsiloxane) (PMTDS) was immobilized onto this surface using different doses (50-120 kGy) of gamma radiation. These new phases were characterized using elemental analysis and infrared and solid-state (29)Si-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. These new stationary phases presented column efficiencies of about 68,000 plates m(-1), symmetric peaks for apolar compounds and retention factors that depend on the irradiation dose and show improved stability in high pH mobile phases. The separation of several pharmaceuticals at pH 11 is presented.

Preparation of stationary phases for reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using thermal treatments at high temperature

Batches of poly(methyloctylsiloxane) (PMOS)-loaded silica were prepared by deposition from a solution of PMOS into the pores of HPLC silica. Portions of PMOS-loaded silica were subjected to a thermal treatment at 100 degrees C for 24h (condition 1) in a tube furnace under a nitrogen atmosphere. After that, the material was heated for 4h at higher temperatures (150-400 degrees C) (condition 2). Heating at higher temperatures produces polymer bilayers. Non-immobilized and thermally treated stationary phases were characterized by percent carbon, (29)Si cross-polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and reversed-phase chromatographic performance. The results show that thermal treatment between 150 and 300 degrees C accelerates the immobilization process, possibly due to some bond breaking of the polysiloxane, with formation of strong linkages to the surface of the support, resulting in more complete coverage of the silica. The chromatographic results show an improvement of efficiency with the increase of the temperature of condition 2 up to 300 degrees C and an increase in the resolution of the components, mainly for the phase heated at 300 degrees C. Such results demonstrate that a two-step thermal treatment (100 degrees C then 150-300 degrees C) produces stationary phases with good properties for use in reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

New stationary phases for high-performance liquid chromatography based on poly(methyltetradecylsiloxane) thermally immobilized onto zirconized silica

The modification of silica with zirconium oxide followed by sorption and thermal immobilization of poly(methyltetradecylsiloxane) (PMTDS) is used to prepare a reversed stationary phase for high-performance liquid chromatography. The thermal immobilization of PMTDS on zirconized silica was optimized using a central composite design. The new stationary phase was characterized by spectroscopic and chromatographic methods. Stationary phases with good reproducibility and good chromatographic performance for various compounds were obtained. PMTDS thermally immobilized on zirconized silica presented quite significant chemical stability at pH 10 and 50 degrees C.

Poly(methyloctylsiloxane) immobilized on silica as a sorbent for solid-phase extraction of some pesticides

A laboratory-made sorbent for solid-phase extraction (SPE) was obtained by thermal immobilization of poly(methyloctylsiloxane) (PMOS) onto silica. Cartridges packed with the new sorbent were used for the simultaneous determination of imazethapyr, nicosulfuron, diuron, linuron and chlorimuron-ethyl in water. These pesticides were separated and quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). The recoveries achieved with the laboratory-made PMOS cartridges were compared with those of some commercially available silica-based and polymer-based cartridges having C18, C8 and NH(2) pendant groups. Method validation using the laboratory-made sorbent was performed for the five pesticides at three fortifications levels (1x, 2x and 10x the limit of quantification of each pesticide). The laboratory-made PMOS cartridge has low cost preparation and showed good recoveries (72-111%) for all pesticides. Repeatability and intermediate precision were lower than 15%. Its performance was similar or even better, in some cases, than those of the commercial cartridges.

Characterization of a new stationary phase based on microwave immobilized polybutadiene on titanium oxide-modified silica

Titanium oxide-modified silica was prepared by reaction of silica with titanium tetrabutoxide and then was used as support in the preparation of stationary phases with self-immobilized polybutadiene (PBD) and PBD immobilized through microwave radiation. Chromatographic performance of the stationary phases was evaluated in terms of the efficiency (plates/m), asymmetry (A(s)), retention factor (k) and resolution (R(s)) of two standard sample mixtures, one of then containing the basic compound N,N-dimethylaniline. A microwave irradiation of 30 min at 520 W gave the best efficiency (86,500 N m(-1)), greater than that of a 6-day self immobilized phase (69,500 N m(-1)). Self-immobilized stationary phases prepared with bare silica were also studied for comparison. These resulted in lower chromatographic performance, 43,800 N m(-1), when compared to the self-immobilized phase prepared with titanized silica.

Al2O3-coated 3-N-propylpyridinium chloride silsesquioxane polymer film: preparation and electrochemical property study of adsorbed cobalt tetrasulfophthalocyanine

Porous Al2O3 presenting a specific surface area of SBET = 105 m2 g(-1) was coated with 3-N-propylpyridinium chloride silsesquioxane polymer. The ion exchange capacity of this polymer grafted onto an Al2O3 surface, resulting in a material designated as AlSiPy(+)Cl-, was 1.09 mmol g(-1). Furthermore, a cobalt(II) tetrasulfophthalocyanine anionic complex was immobilized on the chemically modified surface by an ion exchange reaction with a yield of 40 micromol g(-1) (the surface density of the electroactive species is 3.80 x 10(-11) mol cm(-2)). The electrochemical properties of the material obtained, AlSiPy/CoTsPc, were tested for the catalytic oxidation of oxalic acid at 0.77 V vs SCE in 1.0 mol l(-1) KCl solution. Furthermore, a chronoamperometric technique was used with the electrode to test its potential use as a sensor for oxalic acid. The electrode response to oxalic acid concentrations between 1.0 and 3.5 mmol l(-1) was linear with an estimated detection limit of 0.5 mmol l(-1). The charge transfer resistance of the material, measured using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique, was 43 Omega cm2.

Self-immobilization and/or thermal treatment for preparing silica-poly(methyloctylsiloxane) stationary phases

Batches of poly(methyloctylsiloxane) (PMOS)-loaded silica were prepared by the deposition of PMOS, into the pores of HPLC silica. Portions of PMOS-loaded silica were allowed to remain at ambient temperature, without further treatment for 2, 9, 20, 31, 51, 105 and 184 days after preparation to undergo self-immobilization (irreversible adsorption of a layer of polymer on silica at ambient temperature in the absence of initiators). Other portions were subjected to a thermal treatment (100 degrees C for 4h) after 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 15, 20, 25, 70, 111 and 184 days. Self-immobilized and thermally treated samples were characterized by % C, 29Si cross-polarization magic angle spinning (CP/MAS) NMR spectroscopy and reversed-phase column performance. The results show that thermal immobilization accelerates the distribution and rearrangement of the polymer on the silica surface. However, from the time that a monolayer has been formed by self-immobilization (approximately 100 days for PMOS on Kromasil silica), the thermal treatment does not alter this configuration and, thus, does not change the resulting chromatographic parameters.

Rapid method for evaluating reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography column stability

A procedure is presented for the rapid evaluation of HPLC stationary phase stability at pH 8.4 or 10.1 using a temperature of 60 degrees C. Mobile phase (MeOH-0.1 mol l(-1) aqueous NaHCO3, 50:50, v/v) is continuously passed through the column with periodic injections of a test solution until the several chromatographic parameters of the resulting chromatograms are degraded. The tests were applied to several commercial and laboratory-made stationary phases. After degradation two of these phases, one commercial and one laboratory-made, were examined by elemental analysis and scanning electron microscopy to elucidate the degradation process.

Self-immobilization of poly(methyloctylsiloxane) on high-performance liquid chromatographic silica

Poly(methyloctylsiloxane) (PMOS) was deposited on HPLC silica by a solvent evaporation procedure and this material was then extracted, using a good solvent for the PMOS, after different time periods, to remove unretained liquid polymer. Solvent extraction data reveal changes which occur at ambient temperature as a function of the time interval between particle loading and extraction. The quantity of PMOS remaining on the silica after extraction, as determined by elemental analysis for carbon, is attributed to strongly adsorbed polymer. This phenomenon is termed self-immobilization. Solid-state 29Si NMR spectra indicate the formation of a silicon species with a different chemical shift than the original PMOS. These new signals are attributed to a combination of different adsorbed and chemically bonded groups.

Microwave-immobilized polybutadiene stationary phase for reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Polybutadiene (PBD) has been immobilized on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) silica by microwave radiation at various power levels (52-663 W) and actuation times (3-60 min). Columns prepared from these reversed-phase HPLC materials, as well as from similar non-irradiated materials, were tested with standard sample mixtures and characterized by elemental analysis (%C) and infrared spectroscopy. A microwave irradiation of 20 min at 663 W gives a layer of immobilized PBD that presented good performance. Longer irradiation times give thicker immobilized layers having less favorable chromatographic properties.