Chromatography Forum

I have routinely run methanol or acetonitrile as the organic phase in my LC/MS experiemnts.
I use a P.E. series 200 pump.
I would like to know if acetone will cause problems if used on this pump, especially with any of the seals.
I am aware that acetone has been used as a replacement for acetonitrile with good results, but I want to get some feedback before I put it in my only pump!

Thanks

Alp

I have routinely run methanol or acetonitrile as the organic phase in my LC/MS experiemnts.
I use a P.E. series 200 pump.
I would like to know if acetone will cause problems if used on this pump, especially with any of the seals.
I am aware that acetone has been used as a replacement for acetonitrile with good results, but I want to get some feedback before I put it in my only pump!

Thanks

Alp

I do not have the exact pump you use, but I have used acetone-based methods on Waters 2695 without problems, with the standard yellow seal (I assume it's UHMWPE).

Hope that helps.

It does help in that it shows other pumps can handle it with no problem. Even if I do not get specific info for PE 200, I can take a good guess based on what other systems can handle.

Thanks

Apart from the pump, don't forrget that the UV-cutoff of acetone is VERY high.

I didn't know that the cutoff was high for UV.

But then, it does not matter, my detector is not UV based.

It's the thought that counts... thanks!

Alp

Apart from the pump, don't forrget that the UV-cutoff of acetone is VERY high.

Actually, there's a "hole" in the acetone absorbance from roughly 205 through about 220 nm which makes it useful for detecting compounds at 210 nm. It's not perfect but allows detection of compounds with end absorption.