Chromatography Forum

I'd like to hear from anyone that's used this column, or the gf-450. Supposedly they are more stable at high pH than other silica based size exclusion columns, due to zirconia modification of the silica surface. I've seen a few discussions about zirconia cladding here, but not in the context of an SEC column. The patent referenced in Agilent's brochure claims a huge increase in longevity, but I'd like to hear other opinions. I have problems with antibodies and other proteins adsorbing non-specifically to my current SEC column, and I'm not sure how much this effects the lifetime of my column vs dissolution of the silica, or if the two are somehow interwoven. Would a column like this show less non-specific binding? Does the zirconia cladding bring any new problems into the picture? I'd love to hear anything you know about these columns.

Scott Horn

Hi Scott:
I am getting to the party a little late here, and while I can't speak to the Agilent product I can point you to some literature regarding the use of zirconia for the purification of antibodies:

Here is some information from the ZirChrom website:
http://www.zirchrom.com/AB.asp

Here is a listing of literature:
http://www.zirchrom.com/pdf/abpubs.pdf

While this doesn't exactly address your question I hope that it is useful for your research. Feel free to e-mail me directly if I can help further: support@zirchrom.com

Kelly