Agilent InfinityLab LC Series Multi-wash Upgrade Kit - Installation Note

Importance of the Topic

Modern liquid chromatography workflows in pharmaceutical, environmental and food analysis demand minimal sample carry-over to ensure data integrity, reproducibility and robust quality control. The Agilent InfinityLab LC Series Multi-wash Upgrade Kit addresses this challenge by offering enhanced wash capabilities that significantly reduce residual contamination between injections.

Objectives and Overview

This note describes the purpose, installation and configuration of the Multi-wash Upgrade Kit for Agilent InfinityLab LC Series Multisamplers. The main goals are to explain how to replace the standard hydraulic box with the multi-wash version, outline required materials and tools, and summarize configuration steps in both OpenLab CDS and the Agilent Control Module.

Methodology

The Multi-wash system employs two complementary strategies to lower carry-over to under 9 ppm:

• External needle washes using a succession of up to three user-selected solvents (S1, S2, S3).
• Back-flush cleaning of the needle seat and rotor seal to dislodge deposits internally.

Installation follows a three-phase approach:

1. Removal of the standard hydraulic box after placing the sampler in service position and powering down.
2. Transfer of the injection valve and analytical head into the new Multi-wash hydraulic box and seating it in the mainframe.
3. Reconnection of capillaries, tubing and leak sensor, followed by priming and pressure testing.

Used Instrumentation

The upgrade kit components and associated hardware include:

• Drain Management Kit (p/n G4267-68708)
• 500 µL Flush Head (p/n G4267-60049)
• Capillary ST 0.17 mm × 250 mm (p/n 5500-1167)
• Bottle Head Assemblies ×2 (p/n G4220-60007)
• Hydraulic Multi-Wash Box (p/n G4267-60008, internal)
• Tubing Kit Sampler Multi-Wash (p/n G4267-60081)

Software and firmware prerequisites:

• OpenLab CDS LC driver version A.02.11 or later
• OpenLab CDS C.01.06 or later
• Instant Pilot (Control Module G4208A) Firmware B.02.19 or later

Key Results and Discussion

After installation and configuration, the Multi-wash option demonstrated a reduction in sample carry-over to below 9 ppm across a variety of solvents. Automated exchange times are approximately 30 seconds for flush port solvent changes and 18 seconds for seat back-flush. The Auto-clean function can be scheduled to maintain system cleanliness over extended sequences.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The enhanced wash routines enable analysts to work confidently with trace-level analytes, high-concentration samples and challenging matrices without manual intervention. This upgrade is particularly valuable in high-throughput laboratories performing pharmacokinetic studies, residue analysis or QA/QC testing where carry-over can compromise data quality and regulatory compliance.

Future Trends and Possibilities

Ongoing developments could integrate real-time wash efficiency monitoring and adaptive solvent selection based on sample composition. Coupling multi-wash technology with smart scheduling and data-driven maintenance alerts promises further improvements in uptime and operational efficiency in automated LC platforms.

Conclusion

The Agilent InfinityLab LC Series Multi-wash Upgrade Kit provides a straightforward yet powerful solution to minimize carry-over in multisampler systems. By replacing the hydraulic box and configuring wash protocols in software, laboratories can achieve consistently low contamination levels, streamline workflows and safeguard analytical performance.