Nanoscale liquid chromatography columns

Nanoscale liquid chromatography (nano-LC) using RP separation materials is the default choice for LC-MS of peptides from proteome digests. Nano-LC has excellent sensitivity using 50-100 pm diameter columns and 200-300 nL/min flow rates (166). An all-inclusive definition for nano-LC is an LC that separates nanoliter amounts of sample, with nanoliter amounts of mobile phase, and yields detection limits in the range of nanograms per milliliter (167). 

High-performance nanoscale liquid chromatography system (Eksigent [Dublin, CA] nano-LC or equivalent), equipped with autosampler IntegraFrit sample trap, 25 mm x 75 pm internal diameter (i.d.) (New Objective [Woburn, MA]) or equivalent preconcentration column PepMap C18 analytical column, 150 mm x 75 pm i.d., 3 pm particle size, 100 A pore size (LC Packings, San Francisco, CA) or equivalent nano-LC column packed with octadecylsiUca particles. 

Licklider, L. J., Thoreen, C. C., Peng, J. M., and Gygi, S. R, Automation of nanoscale microcapillary liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with a vented column, Analytical Chemistry 74(13), 3076-3083, 2002. 

Licklider, L.J. Thoreen, C.C. Peng, J. Gygi, S.P. Automation of Nanoscale Microcapillary Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry with a Vented Column, Anal. Chem. 74, 3076-3083 (2002). 

In recent years, there has been a trend to develop ever smaller liquid chromatography systems. LC systems on micro and even nanoscales have been demonstrated. Shorter and smaller columns with smaller particles offer faster analysis times, decreased solvent consumption and require less sample. The differences between preparative, analytical, micro and nano LC are summarised in Table 2.2. 

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