Ultrafast analysis using supercritical fluid chromatography

Medium and high-throughput laboratories traditionally use UHPLC and HPLC solutions for their sample evaluations, compound discovery and routine analysis of mixtures. In the last years, drug manufacturers have placed an increased emphasis on sustainability. Consequently, a growing number of pharmaceutical and natural product laboratories have adopted stepwise environmentally friendly measures adding to their tool box supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC), where the main component in the eluent is carbon dioxide and seen as a green technology.

Kromasil SFC columns are built on the well-known, perfectly spherical, Kromasil silica, and delivered in five unique chemistries for laboratory scientists to separate and analyse a wide range of substances, from non-polar to strongly polar compounds. The chemistries available under the Kromasil SFC platform are now organo-silane, 2-ethylpyridine, silica, cyano, and diol. Offered in 2.5 μm particle sizes and packed in narrow diameter columns, even high-throughput screening users can achieve baseline resolution with ultrafast SFC separations.

An example of short runs with the Kromasil SFC family of columns is presented here. The separation of steroids is shown using a Kromasil SFC 2EP column, 2.5 µm particle material and 3.0 x 50 mm dimension. The sample mixture contains deoxycorticosterone, corticosterone, cortisone and hydrocortisone. The run is carried out with CO2/methanol eluent, gradient mode from 10% to 20% methanol in one minute; flow rate set at 2.5 ml/min; run temperature 40⁰C; outlet pressure of 130 bar and UV wavelength at 220 nm. As seen in the figure, all compounds elute from the column in half a minute and all peaks are completely resolved. This example illustrates the utility of the Kromasil SFC columns for laboratories where analysis under a minute is very attractive to speed up time from sample submission to results.

Kromasil, a brand of AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals, has become a key analytical chromatography choice due to the products’ reliability and reproducibility, the result of the unique silica with excellent chemical and mechanical stability. Kromasil SFC prepacked columns are also built upon this legacy. Endorsed by 30 years of stationary phase manufacturing and packing expertise, Kromasil columns provide a piece of mind for those working in chromatography.