Column regeneration
Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:47 am
by push
I used Partisil SAX column to analyse bromide in polysulphide. It worked pretty good but, suddenly lost resolution.
Can I regenerate the column?How?
Re: Column regeneration
Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 2:34 pm
by tom jupille
That depends on how/why it lost resolution. Resolution is a function of retention, selectivity (the relative spacing of the peaks), and efficiency (peak width). So what changed?
If your peaks are in the right place, but too wide, backflushing the column can clear a partially plugged inlet or (temporarily) undo a void space. If retention has decreased significantly, then flushing the column with a higher-ionic-strength buffer to displace strongly-bound contaminants can help.
That column is silica-based, so it can tolerate high levels of organic (methanol would be preferred) to flush off hydrophobic contamination.