Extending the Service Life of HPLC System by Filter Processing

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is an analysis method originated from classical liquid chromatography. It is fast and accurate, but the device is precise and expensive. Under this condition, it is particularly important to extend its service life by optimizing the operating processing and maintenance carefully. Here the Hawach recommends some membrane filtration methods for the protection of the components of the HPLC system.

Membrane filtration of mobile phase

As the carrier of the substances to be tested, the mobile phase will pass through the degasser, high-pressure infusion pump, sampler, chromatographic column and finally enter the detector. The purity of the mobile phase will affect the service life of related components directly. If it is not filtered, the particles which it contains will enter the system to consequent blockage.

Hawach advises filtering the mobile phase with 0.45 nm or 0.22 um pore size membranes or Φ 33 mm FILSTAR Syringe Filters before using. Besides particles, membrane filtration can also remove small bubbles from mobile phase, reduces the burden of degasser to the stabilize the analysis process.

Membrane filtration of samples

There are many quite different kinds of samples can be determined by HPLC. If the samples injection happens directly without filtering, the chromatographic column will be blocked in a short time. That will make column pressure increase and sharply reduce its service life rapidly.

Therefore, Hawach advises to pre-filter samples with syringe filter adapting 0.45 um or 0.22 um pore size filter membranes. Generally, the volume of the samples as the basis to select the model and specification of syringe filters. For the samples that are difficult to filter with larger particle load, the syringe filter containing glass fiber or PP pre-filter layer can be selected.

The service life of HPLC can be extended effectively by the filtration of the mobile phase and samples according to the above suggestions.

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