Shimadzu Semi-Preparative Supercritical Fluid Chromatography System Nexera UC Prep

Importance of the Topic

In modern analytical laboratories, preparative supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) plays a pivotal role in purifying compounds with high throughput, solvent efficiency, and environmental benefits compared to traditional liquid chromatography.

Study Objectives and Overview

The Nexera UC Prep system aims to integrate advanced preparative SFC technologies—including high recovery separation, compact design, and flexible configurations—into existing workflows. Key goals include improving purification yields, reducing labor, and enabling seamless scale-up from analytical screening to preparative isolation.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• Mobile phase: supercritical CO2 with organic modifiers.
• LotusStream gas–liquid separator for minimized eluate scattering.
• Dedicated software (Prep Solution) for method scouting, simulation, and real-time parameter adjustment.
• Optional modules: FRS-40 for stacked injection, FRC-40 SF for multi-fraction collection.
• Auxiliary units: LC-40P SF pump, SFC-40P back-pressure regulator, HEX-40 temperature controller.

Main Results and Discussion

• LotusStream separator increased recovery of volatile compounds (e.g., 1% linalool) from 78.0% to 96.7%.
• SFC reduced analysis time to approximately one quarter of HPLC with maintained efficiency.
• Stacked injection enabled up to threefold increase in sample throughput without downtime.
• Post-processing simplified by vaporizing CO2, leaving only organic solvent and reducing concentration time.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• High-purity fractionation for pharmaceuticals, natural products, and lipidomics.
• Flexible volume range (micrograms to grams) supports diverse preparative scales.
• Compact benchtop footprint fits existing lab spaces without external chillers.
• Streamlined workflow from analytical method development to preparative isolation on a single system.

Future Trends and Applications

• Integration of mass spectrometry triggers to improve fraction specificity.
• Automation and AI-driven method optimization for rapid method scouting.
• Development of novel stationary phases to expand separation selectivity.
• Enhanced green chemistry by further reducing organic modifier consumption.

Conclusion

The Nexera UC Prep system demonstrates a comprehensive solution for preparative SFC, delivering superior recovery, speed, and operational flexibility that addresses modern purification challenges across research and industry settings.

Used Instrumentation

• Nexera UC Prep: LC-40P SF solvent delivery, CO2 cooling unit, SFC-40P back-pressure regulator, HEX-40 temperature control.
• Prep Solution software for method development and control.
• FRS-40 and FRC-40 SF modules for stacked and multi-fraction collection.
• Shim-pack UC series columns for analytical scouting and preparative scale-up.