Separation of Bases Using a Core Enhanced Technology Accucore HPLC Column

Importance of the Topic

High-efficiency separation of basic and neutral compounds is critical in pharmaceutical, environmental and quality-control laboratories. Residual silanol interactions can cause peak tailing and compromise throughput. Core Enhanced Technology offers a robust solution by combining a solid core with a porous outer layer to deliver fast analysis, reduced backpressure and sharp peak shapes.

Objectives and Study Overview

This application note evaluates the performance of a Thermo Scientific Accucore RP-MS column (2.6 µm, 50 × 2.1 mm) for the rapid separation of six representative bases and neutrals. Key goals include assessing retention time reproducibility, peak shape and analysis speed under isocratic conditions.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Sample Preparation

• Mix of uracil, butyl paraben, propranolol and amitriptyline prepared at 20 µg/mL in water; naphthalene and acenaphthene at 5 µg/mL in methanol.
• Diluted with methanol to target concentrations.

Instrument Setup

• Column: Accucore RP-MS, 2.6 µm, 50 × 2.1 mm (P/N 17626-052130).
• HPLC system: Thermo Scientific with PDA/UV detector at 215 nm.
• Column temperature: 30 °C; flow rate: 0.5 mL/min; injection volume: 1 µL.
• Mobile phase: 65:35 methanol / 25 mM potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.00.
• Operating pressure: ~232 bar.

Main Results and Discussion

The six compounds were resolved in under 2.5 minutes with baseline separation and minimal tailing. Retention times ranged from 0.21 min (uracil) to 2.31 min (amitriptyline). Reproducibility was excellent, with %RSD of retention times below 1.1% across six injections. Amitriptyline exhibited a low tailing factor of 1.27, demonstrating effective suppression of secondary silanol interactions.

Benefits and Practical Applications

Core Enhanced Technology enables rapid, high-efficiency separations with significantly lower backpressure compared to fully porous sub-2 µm particles. The Accucore RP-MS column is well suited for:

• High-throughput pharmaceutical screening and QA/QC.
• Environmental monitoring of neutral and basic contaminants.
• Routine lab workflows demanding robust, reproducible performance.

Future Trends and Possibilities

Potential developments include adapting Core Enhanced phases to gradient methods, expanding pH and buffer compatibility, and coupling with mass spectrometry for enhanced selectivity. Continued miniaturization and improved phase chemistries will further accelerate analyses in complex matrices.

Conclusion

The Accucore RP-MS 2.6 µm column delivers rapid, reproducible separation of basic and neutral compounds with minimal tailing and reduced system backpressure. This makes it an excellent choice for laboratories requiring high throughput and reliable performance.

Reference

No external literature references were cited in the original application note.