The best C18 columns for RP

[Vecana]

Hello everybody,

I would like to know, what do you think: What C18 column is the best for reversed phase chromatography ? Or which column do you prefer?

Here is some suggestions:
- Waters
- Agilent
- Supelco

I don't know any other, but yours suggestions are welcomed.

[JGK]

Depends on what your assay requires.

However, I would not limit myself to a particular brand or supplier unless the product was truly unique.

[JA]

Welcome to the forum. Please recognise that the Chromatography Forum is not a new resource, it is well established and likely many 'fundamental' questions will be available in the back-history or archive.

To that end, please refer to this educational video.

This never comes across quite right but if you truely feel this thread is worthwhile how about some of your own input on the best HPLC columns perhaps based on the various work, projects and classes of compounds you have analysed in your career. In answering your own question, please define what you mean by the word "best".

Thank you and happy posting.

[Koen Hollebekkers]

There is just one answer to your post. There is no “bestâ€

[Uwe Neue]

I think you need to look further than just manufacturers. Manufacturers have different column types that are optimized for different applications, or have specific properties. For example, the best all around C18 among the Waters columns is the XBridge C18: good peak shape, stable at acidic and alkaline pH etc. If you want to get good retention for very polar compounds and want to be able to go to 100% water without any headaches, the Atlantis T3 is best. If you want to have the best reproducibility in the world, I suggest Symmetry C18. If you want a packing with guaranteed good peak shapes for basic analytes, versions of the same packings with an embedded polar group are best, for example SymmetryShield RP18, XBridge Shield RP18. They can also be used in 100% water.
All of these things also come in C8 versions etc. Phenyl columns are good for retaining by pi-pi interactions etc...

[Bryan Evans]

Different applications require different ODS phases.
The data below describes the differences between
Imtakt's ODS phases:

http://www.silvertonesciences.com/files/TI400E.pdf
http://www.silvertonesciences.com/files/TI401E.pdf

The application below shows how the different ODS phases
compare when separating polar metabolites:

http://www.silvertonesciences.com/files/TI415E.pdf