Postcolumn

HPLC system incorporating a postcolumn matrix-addition facility. Note the pump used for postcolumn addition must be essentially pulse free. 

Because two detectors are connected simultaneously in GC/MS, it is possible to rule out a detector problem if the erratic result occurs on both detectors (e.g., MS, FID). A poor result at one detector could be associated with a postcolumn splitter or a leak in the transfer line. Once the problem is isolated, the instrument manual is usually a valuable source for information on possible fixes. 

The matrix, which in most reported applications appears to be glycerol, may either be incorporated directly into the mobile phase pre-column or added postcolumn. If added to the mobile phase, its effect on the separation must be considered, while if added post-column, significant peak broadening may be observed. 

In the chemiluminescence-based HPLC detection system, illustrated schematically in Figure 6, the oxalate ester and hydrogen peroxide are introduced to the eluent stream at postcolumn mixer Mj, which then flows through a conventional fluorescence detector with the exciting lamp turned off or a specially built chemiluminescence detector. The two reagents are combined at mixer Mj, rather than being premixed, to prevent the slow hydrolytic reactions of the oxalate ester. 

Figure 6. Chemiluminescent HPLC postcolumn reactor system.

Wetai Ion Analysis. We have reported a sensitive trace-metal analysis based upon HPLC separation of p-aminophenyl EDTA chelates and fluorescence detection by postcolumn reaction with fluorescamine (23). An application of the pyridone chemistry already discussed leads to a fluorescent-labeled EDTA (VIII). 

Reaction detectors are a convenient means of performing online postcolumn derivatization in HPLC. The derivative reaction is performed after the separation of the sample by the column and prior to detection in a continuous reactor. The mobile phase flow is not interrupted during the analysis and reaction, although it may be augmented by the addition of a secondary solvent to aid the reaction or to conform to the requirements of the detector. Reaction detectors are finding increasing application for the analysis of trace components in complex matrices where both high detection sensitivity and selectivity are needed. Many suitable reaction techniques have been published for this purpose [641-650]. 

Absorbance detectors are also commonly used in combination with postcolumn reactors. Here, most issues of detector linearity and detection limit have to do with optimization of the performance of the reactor. In a typical application, organophosphorus compounds with weak optical absorbances have been separated, photolyzed to orthophosphate, and reacted with molybdic acid, with measurement being performed by optical absorbance.58... 

Soga, T., Inoue, Y., and Yamaguchi, K., Determination of carbohydrates by hydrophilic interaction chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection using postcolumn pH adjustment, /. Chromatogr., 625, 151, 1992. 

Wagner, H. P., Pepich, B. V., Hautman, D. P., and Munch, D. J., Analysis of 500 ng/1 levels of bromate in drinking water by direct-injection suppressed ion chromatography coupled with a single, pneumatically delivered postcolumn reagent, /. Chromatogr. A, 850, 119, 1999. 

Simple etching of the capillary end served to decouple the electrophoretic current from that of amperometric detection, permitting quantitation of attomole levels of catecholamines from brain microdialyzates.24 A postcolumn reactor using bromine generated electrochemically in situ has been used in the detection of peptide thiols, such as glutathione and cysteine, separated by capillary electrophoresis.25... 

Holland, L.A. and Lunte, S.M., Postcolumn reaction detection with dualelectrode capillary electrophoresis-electrochemistry and electrogenerated bromine, Anal. Chem. 71, 407, 1999. 

The basic SFC system comprises a mobile phase delivery system, an injector (as in HPLC), oven, restrictor, detector and a control/data system. In SFC the mobile phase is supplied to the LC pump where the pressure of the fluid is raised above the critical pressure. Pressure control is the primary variable in SFC. In SFC temperature is also important, but more as a supplementary parameter to pressure programming. Samples are introduced into the fluid stream via an LC injection valve and separated on a column placed in a GC oven thermostatted above the critical temperature of the mobile phase. A postcolumn restrictor ensures that the fluid is maintained above its critical pressure throughout the separation process. Detectors positioned either before or after the postcolumn restrictor monitor analytes eluting from the column. The key feature differentiating SFC from conventional techniques is the use of the significantly elevated pressure at the column outlet. This allows not only to use mobile phases that are either impossible or impractical under conventional LC and GC conditions but also to use more ordinary... 

In order to achieve detection limits below the ng mL-1 range only amperometric, chemiluminescence, radiometric, or conventional fluorescence (CF) can be applied (Table 4.41). Fluorescence detectors are generally about 100 times more sensitive and more selective than UV detectors. The selectivity of fluorescence detection is due to the fact that only aromatic and conjugated molecules can be analysed, and by applying specific excitation and emission wavelengths the selectivity can even be increased. Pre- or postcolumn derivatisation in HPLC is a technique that is most commonly performed prior to UV absorption or fluorescence detection... 

Many IC techniques are now available using single column or dual-column systems with various detection modes. Detection methods in IC are subdivided as follows [838] (i) electrochemical (conductometry, amper-ometry or potentiometry) (ii) spectroscopic (tJV/VIS, RI, AAS, AES, ICP) (iii) mass spectrometric and (iv) postcolumn reaction detection (AFS, CL). The mainstay of routine IC is still the nonspecific conductometric detector. A significant disadvantage of suppressed conductivity detection is the fact that weak to very weak acid anions (e.g. silicate, cyanide) yield poor sensitivity. IC combined with potentiometric detection techniques using ISEs allows quantification of selected analytes even in complex matrices. The main drawback... 

The corresponding liquid-phase chemistry can be used to promote ion formation by appropriate choice of solvent and pH, salt addition to form M.Na+ or M.NH4+, and postcolumn addition of reagents. The primary applications of ESI-MS are in the biopolymer field. The phenomenon of routine multiple charging is exclusive to electrospray, which makes it a very valuable technique in the fine chemical and biochemical field, because mass spectrometers can analyse high-molecular-mass samples without any need to extend their mass range, and without any loss of sensitivity. However, with ESI, molecules are not always produced with a distribution of charge states [137], Nevertheless, this phenomenon somehow complicates the determination of the true mass of the unknown. With conventional low-resolution mass spectrometers, the true mass of the macromolecule is determined by an indirect and iterative computational method. 

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