Chromatography Forum

Is there any limit to consider acceptable a variability in absolute peak area values between HPLCs? This both for same model HPLCs and for instruments from different manufacturers but with similar configuration.
For example, I found a 2% difference between Agilent systems (1100, 1260 and 1260II) and a 5% between an Agilent and a Thermo one.

Is there any limit to consider acceptable

Since peak areas are in arbitrary units (OK, if you want to be nitpicky, the units would be AU-sec or mV-sec) and are affected by things like sampling rate, time constant, and bunching / filtering, there's no reason to expect them even to be similar. Furthermore, since you have to calibrate your method on a specific instrument anyway, it doesn't matter.

@ focusanalytics,

If you're talking about large peaks, 5 and even 10% are OK.
But if you are dealing with small peaks fx. in purity determinatins, it could be of great importance.
If I were you I would consider measuring and comparing the S/N (Signal to Noise) values your different systems will exhibit.

Best Regards