Second-dimension effluent

A six-port valve was first used to interface the SEC microcolumn to the CZE capillary in a valve-loop design. UV-VIS detection was employed in this experiment. The overall run time was 2 h, with the CZE runs requiring 9 min. As in the reverse phase HPLC-CZE technique, runs were overlapped in the second dimension to reduce the apparent run time. The main disadvantage of this yu-SEC-CZE method was the valve that was used for interfacing. The six-port valve contributed a substantial extracolumn volume, and required a fixed volume of 900 nL of effluent from the chromatographic column for each CZE run. The large fixed volume imposed restrictions on the operating conditions of both of the separation methods. Specifically, to fill the 900 nL volume, the SEC flow rate had to be far above the optimum level and therefore the SEC efficiency was decreased (22). 

The instrumentation used to implement this comprehensive sampling is the main topic of this chapter. The most common comprehensive mode uses a sampling valve so that second dimension elution can begin as soon as a sampling loop has stored the necessary amount of first column solute. In this case, there is no need for storing the effluent from the first column it is continuously allocated to a sampling loop with subsequent injection into the second-dimension column. 

FIGURE 5.3 2DLC configuration and sequence utilizing a protein A affinity column in the first dimension and an SEC column in the second dimension. In step 1, the sample is injected onto the affinity column and the first-dimension separation takes place while the SEC column is being equilibrated. In step 2, valve 1 moves to position 2 and a fraction of the affinity separation is collected into the loop. In step 3, valve 1 moves back to position 1 and the collected sample is injected onto the SEC column for MS analysis. In step 4, after the protein elutes from the SEC column valve 2 is switched to position 2 and the SEC column effluent is sent to waste to avoid salts from entering the MS. 

FIGURE 5.8 2DLC with multipositional valve. Effluent for the first dimension column can he directed to one of eight columns in the second dimension for increased sampling rate. 

Thus, the column diameters chosen for the two dimensions are determined by the amount of sample available and will dictate the flow rate ranges available to use. In split-flow systems, where only a portion of the first-dimension effluent is injected into the second dimension, the choice of column size is unlimited and the two methods can be developed independently. In comprehensive systems where the entire sample from the first dimension is injected into the second dimension, the flow rates are generally lower in the first dimension to accommodate the lower injection volumes into the second dimension. For example, for a 1-mm ID column in the first dimension with a flow rate of 50 (tL/min and a sampling rate of 1 min, 50 pL could be injected onto the second dimension. A 50-(lL injection onto a4.6-mm ID column flowing at 1 mL/min should be accommodated fairly well based upon its composition. In Chapter 6, the first dimension column diameters are estimated based upon the injection volume and sampling rate into the second dimension. 

Detection of the effluent in a 2D system is carried out at the end of the second dimension s column. UVand LIF are the most widely used and the simplest methods of detection for CE separations because they are performed on-column. MS detection, unlike UV and LIF, is carried out on the effluent as it exits the CE column. The direct coupling of CE with mass spectrometry has shown great potential in proteomic research (Janini et al., 2004). The method of choice for detection of peptides is MS-electrospray ionization (ESI). However, ESI requires a special interface between the CE column and the mass spectrometer that has proven not to be a simple matter (Issaq et al., 2004). 

HPLC with microchip electrophoresis. Capillary RPLC was used as the first dimension, and chip CE as the second dimension to perform fast sample transfers and separations. A valve-free gating interface was devised simply by inserting the outlet end of LC column into the cross-channel on a specially designed chip. Laser-induced fluorescence was used for detecting the FITC-labeled peptides of a BSA digest. The capillary HPLC effluents were continuously delivered every 20 s to the chip for CE separation. 

Jia et al. (2005) developed a two-dimensional (2-D) separation system of coupling chromatography to electrophoresis for profiling Escherichia coli metabolites. Capillary EC with a monolithic silica-octadecyl silica column (500 x 0.2 mm ID) was used as the first dimension, from which the effluent fractions were further analyzed by CE acting as the second dimension. Multi-dimensional separations have found wide applications in biomedical and pharmaceutical analysis. 

The combination of normal (silica) and reversed (C18) phase HPLC in a comprehensive 2D LC system was used for the first time for the analysis of alcohol ethoxylates [64] the NP separation was run using aqueous solvents, so the mobile phases used in the two dimensions were miscible, resulting in the easy injection of the entire first-dimension effluent onto the second-dimension column. 

As a rule, the sequence in which the columns are placed in a column-switching system has a marked effect on the results of a 2D separation. The final choice is dictated by the specific separation objectives. When subsequent fraction cuts have to be performed on the effluent from the first dimension, the column with a higher peak capacity should be placed into the first-dimension system and the flow rate should be matched to the fraction transfer switching period. The fractions transferred to the second-dimension column should be completely eluted before the subsequent fraction is transferred from the first to the second dimension. To increase the peak capacity in the first dimension, gradient elution is preferred to isocratic conditions. 

Comprehensive 2D liquid chromatography is emerging as a new powerfnl technique for the separation of complex samples because of increased peak capacity, selectivity, and resolution in comparison to single-dimensional HPLC. 2D LC x LC systems essentially represent programming of stationary phases. Comprehensive LC x LC techniqne represents specific 2D mode, where all sample componnds eluting from the first dimension are snbjected to separation in the second dimension [167]. The whole effluent from the first dimension is transferred into the second-dimension... 

In 1990, Bushey and Jorgenson developed the first automated system that coupled HPLC with CZE (19). This orthogonal separation technique used differences in hydrophobicity in the first dimension and molecular charge in the second dimension for the analysis of peptide mixtures. The LC separation employed a gradient at 20 (xL/min volumetric flow rate, with a column of 1.0 mm ID. The effluent from the chromatographic column filled a 10 pU loop on a computer-controlled, six-port micro valve. At fixed intervals, the loop material was flushed over the anode end of the CZE capillary, allowing electrokinetic injections to be made into the second dimension from the first. 

The main benefit of monolithic columns is the separation speed. As an example of the practical use of ultrafast separation, the two-dimensional HPLC separation of tryptic digest BSA is shown. The fractions of the column effluent from the first dimension (lEX) separation was collected for 2 min each and injected into the second-dimension monolithic column (RP).The run time for the second dimension could not be more than 2 min (more than fraction collection time), and the monolithic column provided fast and efficient separation (Figure 3-26). 

FIGURE 3.25 The concept of multidimensional GC (a) Single heart-cut GC analysis, in which a portion of the effluent from the primary column containing analytes of interest is diverted to the second dimension column and subjected to additional separation over an extended period of time, (b) Dual heart-cut GC analysis, in which two regions with coelutions are diverted to the second dimension column, with less time to perform each separation, (c) Comprehensive two dimensional GC analysis, in which the sizes of the sequential heart-cut fractions are very small, and the time to develop each sequential second dimension chromatogram is very short. 

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