Gradient separations moderately rapid

FIGURE 9 Moderately rapid gradient separation. Column XTerra MS C, IS, 4.6x 20mm 3.5p.m. Gradient 0 to 100% B over 4min,A 0.1% formic acid in water, B 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile. Flow rate 3.0mL/min. Temperature 30°C. Detection UV at 254 nm. Instrument Alliance 2795 with 996 photodiode array detector. Compounds (I) acetanilide, (2) triamcinolone, (3) hydrocortisone, (4) 2-amino-7-chloro-5-oxo-5H-[l]benzopyrano[2,3-b]pyridine-3-carbonitrile, (5) 6a-methyl-17a-hydroxyprogesterone, (6) 3-aminofluoranthene, (7) 2-bromofluorene, (8) perylene, (9) naphtho(2,3-a)pyrene. 

As the vast majority of LC separations are carried out by means of gradient-elution RPLC, solvent-elimination RPLC-FUR interfaces suitable for the elimination of aqueous eluent contents are of considerable use. RPLC-FTTR systems based on TSP, PB and ultrasonic nebulisa-tion can handle relatively high flows of aqueous eluents (0.3-1 ml.min 1) and allow the use of conventional-size LC. However, due to diffuse spray characteristics and poor efficiency of analyte transfer to the substrate, their applicability is limited, with moderate (100 ng) to unfavourable (l-10pg) identification limits (mass injected). Better results (0.5-5 ng injected) are obtained with pneumatic and electrospray nebulisers, especially in combination with ZnSe substrates. Pneumatic LC-FI1R interfaces combine rapid solvent elimination with a relatively narrow spray. This allows deposition of analytes in narrow spots, so that FUR transmission microscopy achieves mass sensitivities in the low- or even sub-ng range. The flow-rates that can be handled directly by these systems are 2-50 pLmin-1, which means that micro- or narrow-bore LC (i.d. 0.2-1 mm) has to be applied. 

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