Chromatography Forum

Quite often there are threads about the specs of different vendor's LC systems. I find it rather difficult to obtain unbiased comparative information.

Wouldn't it be usefull to have a comparison table like

System: ............... | 1200 | 3000 | Aquity | Prominence
p max
flow rate min
flow rate max
delay vol
Inj Vol.

etc.

Maybe we could set up a table like this together? Do you think the vendors would have something against it?

No replies so far.

Maybe this means that a comparison table already is available on the net?
The most comprehensive one that I foun so far is:
http://www.labo.de/xist4c/download/web/ ... d_683_.pdf
But it is already 3 years old in german language and goes not into detail.

Any suggestions?

Maybe this means that a comparison table already is available on the net?

Or maybe that no one really sees much of a need.

There are several problems with the concept:

1. The specs set by the vendors are not necessarily consistent (measurements are made under different conditions), so putting together one table would often involve "apples and oranges" comparisons.

2. There are standard testing procedures available (e.g., from ASTM), but they have their own problems in that they are rather old (and so may not provide all the information you would like to have for today's instruments).

3. Then you have the problem of finding someone to actually run the same tests on the various systems.

4. For what it's worth, many years ago I was involved with ASTM committee E-19 (on chromatography). Even then it was difficult to get volunteers to run collaborative tests.

I just don't get it:

every month there is at least one thread on HPLC systems and comparison between them here. When you want to compare instruments as you have to make a decision what to buy, you have to go through all the homepages of the vendors.

Maybe I will just set up a Wikipedia article. Are there any legal obstacles for such a table?

Maybe I will just set up a Wikipedia article. Are there any legal obstacles for such a table?

Not that I am aware of.

Cool, any bets on which supplier's employees or friends will revise the entry first, and how long it will be before the first revision?.

Wikipedia is so dynamic that the link with reality of some contentious topics is often tenuous, at best. Not sure if HPLC comparisons would fit that category, but it could be fun to watch..

The legality issue shoiuld only arise if you libel some entity, or breach copyright on documents.

Please keep having fun,

Bruce Hamilton