Polar column

[punt]

HI,

If we inject a polar compound like water or methanol into a polar column, will it cause damage to the polar column?

How about injecting water into a column like fused silica column? does it damage the column?

Thanks

[chromatographer1]

Punt,

I posted this a few days ago. Before you ask questions try the search function and see if the question has already been answered. You will get your answer faster that way too.

My Post:

" When liquid water is found on the surface of a methyl silicone phase and fused silica tubing, damage will occur.

When water is in a vapor state little damage occurs, but of course, water does become liquid briefly as it partitions along the column, so a small damage will occur, usually not noticeable for weeks or months.

Water can also damage the PEG phases through their attachments to the fused silica surface, causing bleed to grow with time, and active sites to increase in number, losing inertness of the column.

Water does not harm polymer bead packings but may damage the glues attaching them to capillary walls. Packed columns are no problem as expected.

Keep H2O, HF, HCl, H2SO4, NH4OH, and other strong agents away from GC columns if at all possible. "

Happy New Year.

Rod

[jdezeeuw]

Water can cause issues with polar stationary phases if these phases have not been thoroughly immobilized. If you have to use such -non-bonded phases (like TCEP, or 100% cyanopropyl), use the column at a temperature where water will not condense.
For BONDED phase technologies, water should not be an issue as long as its sent through the column at low temperature, which is normally the case if its part of the sample. Bigger challenge are leaks and water in carrier gas. If water is introduced at high oven temperature we can expect immediately hydrolization.

Todays GC columns can take water injections very well. Bonded wax columns, like stabilwax, can take liquid water injections even at low temperatures. The challenge with water is, when it is in high concentrations, (as matrix) that it may impact the peak shape of the compounds to analyze. Also water will disturb the FID signal when it elutes.

The main risky thing with water analysis in any system, are the column inlet and the column outlet sections, respectively the sections that are in the injector and detector.These parts will hydrolyse rapidly and may cause activity problems