Improving Return on Investment in Liquid Chromatography with the InfinityLab LC Series

Significance of the Topic

The rapid advancement of liquid chromatography technology is critical for enhancing analytical efficiency, reducing operational costs, and supporting high-throughput workflows in research, quality control, and industrial laboratories. The Agilent 1260 Infinity II Prime LC exemplifies these improvements by combining high pressure capability, automated workflows, and versatile method transfer to drive greater return on investment.

Objectives and Study Overview

This white paper evaluates the incremental economic value of replacing a conventional LC system (400–600 bar) with the Agilent 1260 Infinity II Prime LC (up to 800 bar). By modeling sample throughput, downtime, operating costs, and multi-method use, the study quantifies annual savings and revenue gains across key performance areas.

Methodology and Instrumentation

A representative lab throughput scenario was defined: 20 runs per day, 25 min cycle time, 40 USD revenue per sample, 20% profit margin, 130 days of method development use, and 150 column exchanges per year. Cost drivers and time savings were calculated for:

• Automated mobile phase blending (BlendAssist)
• InfinityLab Quick Connect/Quick Turn fittings
• Automatic purge function
• Lab Advisor diagnostic software
• Automated column regeneration with dual-needle injection
• High-pressure operation (up to 800 bar)
• ISET method emulation for multi-instrument consolidation

Main Results and Discussion

The 1260 Infinity II Prime LC yields four primary economic benefits:

1. Reduced operating costs: BlendAssist and InfinityLab fittings cut consumable expenses by ~2 092 USD/year.
2. Decreased downtime: Automated purge, fittings, and Lab Advisor save ~1 220 min/year, equating to ~390 USD incremental profit.
3. Increased throughput: High-pressure operation, ACR, and dual-needle injection enable ~4 290 additional runs/year, adding ~150 600 USD revenue (30 120 USD profit).
4. Multi-method consolidation: ISET emulation avoids one additional LC purchase, training, and maintenance costs of ~52 450 USD/year.

Total annual incremental economic value exceeds 85 000 USD compared to a conventional LC.

Benefits and Practical Applications

Adoption of the 1260 Infinity II Prime LC translates into:

• Enhanced lab productivity through faster cycle times and reduced instrument downtime.
• Lower solvent, column, and fitting consumption with automated workflows.
• Seamless method transfer across LC generations and vendors.
• Scalable throughput and resource consolidation in core facilities.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Continued innovation in UHPLC is expected to focus on integrated automation, real-time diagnostics, advanced software analytics, and further pressure and flow-rate enhancements. The convergence of cloud-based instrument control, predictive maintenance, and machine learning for chromatography optimization will drive next-generation lab efficiency and data quality.

Conclusion

The Agilent 1260 Infinity II Prime LC delivers substantial operational, financial, and performance benefits. By leveraging high-pressure capability, automated mixing and diagnostics, fast injection modes, and method emulation, laboratories can achieve significant cost savings, faster sample turnaround, and streamlined workflows, resulting in an estimated >80 000 USD incremental value per instrument each year.