Separation of Acidic and Neutral Drugs Using a Core Enhanced Technology Accucore HPLC Column

Significance of Topic

Therapeutic drug monitoring in pharmaceutical analysis demands reliable separation of compounds, particularly acidic and neutral drugs that tend to exhibit peak tailing due to interactions with column active sites. Core Enhanced Technology with superficially porous particles addresses these challenges by combining high efficiency, low backpressure and improved peak shapes.

Objectives and Overview

This study evaluates the performance of a Thermo Scientific Accucore C18 column for baseline resolution and retention time reproducibility in separating a mixture of seven acidic and neutral drugs, aiming to demonstrate its suitability for routine pharmaceutical analysis.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Sample Preparation involved preparing a 1000 µg/mL stock solution of target drugs in 1:1 acetonitrile/water and diluting to working concentrations. Chromatographic conditions were:

• Column: Accucore C18 2.6 µm, 100 × 2.1 mm
• Instrument: Thermo Scientific Accela HPLC/UHPLC
• Mobile Phase: A) 0.1% phosphoric acid in water; B) 0.1% phosphoric acid in acetonitrile
• Gradient: 30%–95% B over 4 min, hold to 8 min
• Flow Rate: 0.40 mL/min; Temperature: 25 °C; Detection: 215 nm; Injection: 1.5 µL

Main Results and Discussion

The Accucore C18 column achieved clear separation of seven drugs within 7 minutes, with retention times ranging from 0.57 to 6.71 min. Relative standard deviations for retention times were below 0.6%, indicating excellent reproducibility. The superficially porous particle design produced sharp, symmetric peaks and reduced backpressure (256 bar), enhancing throughput and robustness.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• High efficiency separations for routine QA/QC in pharmaceutical laboratories
• Reduced analysis time and solvent consumption due to fast gradients and low backpressure
• Robust performance with reproducible retention times, meeting regulatory standards
• Suitability for a wide range of analytes via hydrophobic interactions provided by C18 phase

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Expansion of Core Enhanced Technology to broader analyte classes including basic drugs; integration with mass spectrometry for enhanced sensitivity; development of higher throughput methods in clinical and bioanalytical settings; and exploration of novel superficially porous materials for further improvements in resolution and speed.

Conclusion

The Accucore C18 column with Core Enhanced Technology demonstrates outstanding capability for separating acidic and neutral drugs, combining high efficiency, low backpressure, and reproducible performance, making it a valuable asset for pharmaceutical analysis.