Method for screening mobile phases in chromatography systems

• US 7,767,463 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cohesive Technologies Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cohesive Technologies Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Quinn, Hubert M, Takarewski, Joseph J. Jr., Williams, Elizabeth
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Vickie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gionta; Allison
• Application Number:
  US11/763,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20080307861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 436/161, 436/177, 436/178, 436/148
• US Class Current: 436/161
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2013/006 Dissolution of tablets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/34 of fluid composition, e.g. gradient G01N30/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/8658 Optimising operation parameters

Abstract

A method and system of screening or selecting a mobile phase eluent for a chromatography column is provided. A sample for chromatographic analysis or purification is combined with a solvent and passed through a membrane. A pressure measurement is taken of the sample/solvent combination in the system prior to the membrane. The pressure measurement may be compared to a second pressure and an appropriate solvent may be selected based on the relationship between the first measured pressure and the second pressure.

Claims

1. A method of screening a candidate solvent for use as an eluting solvent for chromatographic analysis, the method comprising:

combining a sample to be analyzed with the candidate solvent to form a first mobile phase;

providing a membrane and establishing a flow of said first mobile phase through said membrane;

measuring a first pressure P₁ at a location in the flow prior to the membrane indicative of a resistance to said flow through said membrane;

comparing said measured pressure P₁ against a second predetermined reference pressure P₂ to determine a pressure differential P₁-P₂;

selecting or rejecting said candidate solvent as an eluting solvent based upon the determined pressure differential P₁-P₂.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the candidate solvent is selected as an eluting solvent if the determined pressure differential P₁-P₂ is less than or equal to 45 bar.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said membrane has a void volume of greater than or equal to about 35%.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said membrane has a mean pore diameter in the range of about 40 Å

to 100 μ

m.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said membrane is a mesh screen.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of measuring pressure is performed by a pressure detector.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said second predetermined reference pressure P₂ is determined by establishing a flow of the candidate solvent, absent addition of the sample, through said membrane, and measuring a pressure indicative of the resistance to flow through the membrane.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said second pressure P₂ is determined by establishing a flow of a second solvent, different from the candidate solvent through said membrane, and measuring a pressure pressure indicative of the resistance to flow through the membrane.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said flow is established by introducing a given volume of said mobile phase over a given time period.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said membrane is a nonwoven material.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said membrane is a ceramic material.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said membrane is spunbond or meltblown.