Parameters used in evaluating column performance

Having optimised the efficiency of a chromatographic separation the quality of the chromatography can be controlled by applying certain system suitability tests. One of these is the calculation of theoretical plates for a column and there are two other main parameters for assessing performance peak symmetry and the resolution between critical pairs of peaks. A third performance test, the peak purity parameter, can be applied where two-dimensional detectors such as diode or coulometric array or mass spectrometry detectors are being used. The reproducibility of peak retention times is also an important parameter for controlling performance. 

The more efficient a column the greater degree of resolution it will produce between 

The BP assay of betamethasone 17-valerate states that it must be resolved from betamethasone 21-valerate so that the resolution factor Is 1.0. Which of the following ODS  

Another situation which may lead to poor integrator performance is where peaks are tailing and thus have a high element of asymmetry. The expression used to assess this is  

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