Monolithic columns separation

Xie, S., Svec, F., and Frechet, J.M.J., Rigid porous polyacrylamide-based monolithic columns containing butyl methacrylate as a separation medium for the rapid hydrophobic interaction chromatography of proteins,. Chromatogr. A, 775, 65, 1997. 

We use the second-dimension separation from Fig. 6.6 with a 25 pL injection volume and 2.5 min sampling time the separation is an RPLC method that uses a monolithic column. Thus, 10 pL/min is the maximum flow rate in the first-dimension. Fig. 6.7 shows the development of the first-dimension column that utilizes a hydrophilic interaction (or HILIC) column for the separation of proteins at decreasing flow rates. The same proteins were separated in Fig. 6.6 (RPLC) and 6.7 (HILIC) and have a reversed elution order, which is known from the basics of HILIC (Alpert, 1990). It is believed that HILIC and RPLC separations are a good pair for 2DLC analysis of proteins as they appear to have dissimilar retention mechanisms, much like those of NPLC and RPLC it has been suggested that HILIC is similar in retention to NPLC (Alpert, 1990). Because the HILIC column used in Fig. 6.7 gave good resolution at 0.1 mL/min and no smaller diameter column was available, the flow was split 10-fold to match the second-dimension requirement... 

Polymer monolithic columns with small diameter have been successfully employed for proteome analysis. Karger and coworkers reported MALDI-TOF of separated fractions spotted on a plate from a polymeric reversed-phase column that showed high peak capacity (Chen et al., 2005). Huber and coworkers reported separation and detection of about 200 peaks within 5 min by using a PSDVB column (Premstaller et al., 2001). 

In a sense each monolithic column is unique, or produced as a product of a separate batch, because the columns are prepared one by one by a process including monolith formation, column fabrication, and chemical modification. Reproducibility of Chro-molith columns has been examined, and found to be similar to particle-packed-silica-based columns of different batches (Kele and Guiochon, 2002). Surface coverage of a Chromolith reversed-phase (RP) column appears to be nearly maximum, but greater silanol effects were found for basic compounds and ionized amines in buffered and nonbuffered mobile phases than advanced particle-packed columns prepared from high purity silica (McCalley, 2002). Small differences were observed between monolithic silica columns derived from TMOS and those from silane mixtures for planarity in solute structure as well as polar interactions (Kobayashi et al., 2004). 

Utilizing the difference in selectivity between a monolithic silica-C18 column (2nd-D) and another particle-packed column of C18 phase (lst-D), 2D HPLC separation was shown mainly for basic compounds and other species (Venkatramani and Zelechonok, 2003). The authors also reported other examples of reversed-phase 2D HPLC, using amino- and cyano-derivatized particle-packed columns for 2nd-D separation. The combination of normal-phase separation for the 1 st-D and reversed-phase separation on monolithic Ci g column for the 2nd-D was reported (Dugo et al., 2004). The use of a microbore column and weak mobile phase for the lst-D and a monolithic column for the 2nd-D was essential for successful operation. Improvement in the 2D separation of complex mixtures of Chinese medicines was also reported (Hu et al., 2005). Following are practical examples of comprehensive 2D HPLC using monolithic silica columns that have been reported. 

Hu, L., Chen, X., Kong, L., Su, X., Ye, M., Zou, H. (2005). Improved performance of comprehensive two-dimensional HPLC separation of traditional Chinese medicines by using a silica monolithic column and normalization of peak heights. J. Chromatogr. A 1092, 191 198. 

Tholey, A., Toll, H., Huber, C.G. (2005). Separation and detection of phosphorylated and nonphosophorylated peptides in hquid chromatography—mass spectrometry using monolithic columns and acidic or alkaline mobile phases. Anal. Chem. 77, 4618 1625. 

Volmer, D.A., Brombacher, S., Whitehead, B. (2002). Studies on azaspiracid biotoxins. I. Ultrafast high-resolution liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry separations using monolithic columns. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 16, 2298-2305. 

FIGURE 17.10 Gradients for the separation of the FAE mixture on a monolithic column, stationary phase Chromolith C18, 10 x 0.46 cm i.d., mobile phase MeOH H20. 

Current commercial silica-based columns have two important characteristics (1) they can produce efficiency similar to that of columns packed with 3.5 /tm particles and (2) they typically produce a pressure drop of half that caused by a column packed with 5 /tm particles.35 Monolithic columns have been shown to exhibit flat van Deemter curves, resulting in little loss of efficiency at high flow rates.36 As a result, high-throughput separations on conventional HPLC instruments can be achieved by increasing flow rate up to nine times (up to 9 ml/min) the usual rate in a conventional packed column. Cycle times for HPLC analysis as short as 1 min (injection-to-injection) have been reported by users of monolithic columns. Additional benefits of monolithic columns cited include... 

An interesting idea was to use a monolith column to perform dual functions of online SPE and chromatographic separation. Because of the porous structure of a monolith column and its very low backpressure, plasma or diluted plasma can be directly injected. Plumb et al. (2001) used this approach to quantitate an isoquinoline drug and 3 -azido-3 -deoxy thymidine (AZT). Diluted plasma samples (plasma water 1 1) were injected directly into a Chromolith Speed ROD RP-18e column... 

To improve chromatographic separation, another analytical column could be used in addition to the monolith (Xu et al. 2006). The monolith column served as an extraction column only. Hsieh et al. (2000, 2002) utilized a polymer-coated mixed function (PCMF) Capcell C8 column (4.6 x 50 mm, Phenomenex) to provide dual functions—online plasma extraction and analyte separation. The silica was coated with a polymer containing both hydrophilic polyoxythylene and hydrophobic groups. The diluted plasma samples (1 1 to 1 3) were injected directly. No column deterioration was observed after 200 injections. 

Asperger A. et al., 2002. Trace determination of priority pesticide in water by means of high-speed online solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry using turbulent-flow chromatography columns for enrichment and a short monolithic column for fast liquid chromatographic separation. J Chromatogr A 960 109. 

Monolithic column — The trend to use shorter columns in liquid chromatography means that the resultant lower separation efficiency is of concern. One way to improve HPLC separation efficiency on a shorter column is to reduce the size of the packing material, but at the cost of increased backpressure. Another approach to improve performance is increasing permeability with a monolithic column. Such a column consists of one solid piece with interconnected skeletons and flow paths. The single silica rod has abimodal pore structure with macropores for through-pore flow and mesopores for nanopores within a silica rod8182 (Figure 12.1). 

In more demanding separations that require higher plate counts, specially designed rapid analysis columns packed with very high efficiency 2 to 3 /.an porous particles are available from several manufacturers. In addition, monolithic columns with improved flow-through characteristics are also commercially available. Figure 13.4 depicts a comparison of inlet pressure and flow rate for 4.6 mm inner diameter x 50, 100, and 150 mm columns packed with 5 /an particles. 

The main bottleneck in the further development of CEC is related with the state of the art of the column manufacturing processes and the robustness of the columns/instrumentation. Moreover, evidence to demonstrate reproducibility of separations from column to column still has to be established. The formation of bubbles in the capillaries due to the Joule heating and variations in EOF velocity on passing from the stationary phase through the frit and into the open tube is still very challenging in packed column CEC. A way to overcome this problem is to use monolithic columns or apply open tubular CEC [108]. Currently, many efforts are placed in improving column technology and in the development of chip-CEC [115] as an attractive option for lab-on-a-chip separations. 

This technology was extended to the preparation of chiral capillary columns [ 138 -141 ]. For example, enantioselective columns were prepared using a simple copolymerization of mixtures of O-[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethylcarbamoyl]-10,11-dihydro quinidine, ethylene dimethacrylate, and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate in the presence of mixture of cyclohexanol and 1-dodecanol as porogenic solvents. The porous properties of the monolithic columns can easily be controlled through changes in the composition of this binary solvent. Very high column efficiencies of 250,000 plates/m and good selectivities were achieved for the separations of numerous enantiomers [140]. 

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