title: The impact of column inner diameter on chromatographic performance in temperature gradient liquid chromatography.
abstract: The impact of column inner diameter on chromatographic performance in temperature gradient liquid chromatography has been investigated in the present study. Columns with inner diameters of 0.32, 0.53, 3.2 and 4.6 mm were compared with respect to retention and efficiency characteristics using temperature gradients from 30 to 90 degrees C with temperature ramps of 1, 5, 10 and 20 degrees C min(-1). The columns were all of 15 cm length and were packed with 3 microm Hypersil ODS particles. Alkylbenzenes served as model compounds, and the mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-water (50:50, v/v). The study revealed that the column ID is not a critical limiting factor when performing temperature programming in LC, at least for columns narrower than 4.6 mm inner diameter in the temperature interval 30-90 degrees C. The retention times for all components on all columns were highly comparable, with similar peak profiles without any signs of peak splitting. The use of mobile phase pre-heating when using the larger bore columns was avoided by starting the temperature gradients close to ambient. However, the relative apparent efficiency was inversely proportional to column inner diameter, making the capillary columns generally more functional towards temperature gradients than the larger bore columns with respect to chromatographic efficiency. In addition, the capillary columns possessed higher robustness towards temperature programming than the conventional columns.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Occupational Health, PO Box 8149 Dep, N-0033 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Paal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Molander
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: Elsa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lundanes
authors.forename: Tyge
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Greibrokk
mesh_terms: D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D004867:Equipment Design; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D004785:Environmental Pollutants