Chromatography Forum

I would like to know what is micro bondapack ?

THANKS,
TK

Microbondapak was one of the early silica C18 bonded phases produced by Waters. It has been around for many years at a guess, 30 years or maybe more.

I think it is produced in exclusively 10 micron particle size. In my experience, it gives good peak shapes for polar and ionized compounds compared with other phases that were produced at the same time. As every brand of column has its own selectivity, methods developed on this column may still require its use. I guess therefore that despite its age, that there are still considerable sales of this product.

It intrigues me as to whether column manufacturers change these products over the years. It would be tempting to make improvements when more is known about the technology, but these improvements might change the selectivity, and upset long-standing customers....

My guess is most manufacturers of early Type A silica packings (and MicroBondapak may be the exception) don't make any money off such products, but just keep them around for those customers who have older validated test procedures, and don't want to alienate them and have them go to other suppliers for their newer needs.

I've still got two micro-Bondapack C18 columns in their wooden boxes with their stainless steel bellows - maybe 25 years old - SN 067796.

I assume Waters have recovered all of the development costs , and would still charge at least recovery costs + some profit for all subsequent production batches.

About five years ago their catalog said the micro-Bondapack columns were still the most widely referenced and requested HPLC columns in the world. It's probably only in the last 5 years, with the movement to smaller particle sizes and robust phases, and walk-up HPLCs, that is seeing major changes in the market.

Please keep having fun,

Bruce Hamilton

I can assure everybody that microBondapak is still going strong. It is used in many well established methods. If you use a USP method, and it says that a 30 cm x 3.9 mm C18 is used for the assay, it is microBondapak C18.

Furthermore, microBondapak is rather unique, so it is often not easy to just plug in another C18 and get the same results, even with only loosely specified methods.

It was developed in 1973. The product has not changed over the years. In 1985, I developed a more comprehensive QC test, which let to a better control over process parameters compared to previous years, and consequently a much reduced variability. However, the average properties were kept constant. I presented such history at several occasions, including some of the data history from the mid 1980s to recently.

The fact that microBondaPak is still used says a lot about the inherent conservative nature of the regulated Pharmaceutical industry.

When develpoing methods I would never look at it as it is a 10u irregular packing and the 30cm one is very difficult to get into modern column heaters.

I have never needed a column longer than 15cm when developing methods.

Waters take advantage of their position and charge very high prices eg £504 = $1000 (UK) for a 30cm column.

Phenomenex make a column which can be substituted in most cases called Bondclone.

PS I have no links with Phenomenex

The Boneclone column is a very bad attempt to copy something that one does not understand...

The fact that microBondaPak is still used says a lot about the inherent conservative nature of the regulated Pharmaceutical industry.

When develpoing methods I would never look at it as it is a 10u irregular packing and the 30cm one is very difficult to get into modern column heaters.

I have never needed a column longer than 15cm when developing methods.

Waters take advantage of their position and charge very high prices eg £504 = $1000 (UK) for a 30cm column.

Phenomenex make a column which can be substituted in most cases called Bondclone.

PS I have no links with Phenomenex

Look at p108-109 of your Phenomenex 08/09 catalogue. There you will find that just one Pharmaceutical regulator ( USP ) uses a diverse range of columns and particles sizes, eg L1 is C18 from 1.5 - 10 um or a monolithic rod.

Note that they don't define column dimensions, that is controlled by the specific separation requirements. these method are used on a wide variety of instruments from 30 years old to 2008 models in almost every country in the world.

Would your methods transfer as well, or would users have to buy new toys?. What obviously works for you may not work for others.

The compendial methods are fit for purpose, and they will update them at reviews, but often that may only decrease valuable analytical time, not provide significant enhancements to resolution, unless that is required. The analysts in the pharmaceutical industry are no less competent or innovative than those in other industries.

The fact that you have never need a column longer than 15cm doesn't tell me much, except that you have probably never performed high resolution GPC or Ion Interaction chromatography. I use what will work.

I use a lot of of different columns, from different suppliers, and manufacturers wouldn't remain in the market if they didn't have columns that represent value for money, however much you may pay.
I, and my bank manager, like columns that last decades and perform consistently, whether from Waters, Phenomenex, or .....

I've used both Bondclone and micro Bondapack, and I agree with Uwe.

Please keep having fun,

Bruce Hamilton