Agilent 1200 Series LC Method Development Solution – Automated method development with up to eight columns

Importance of the Topic

Automated HPLC method development accelerates the selection and optimization of chromatographic conditions in pharmaceutical and chemical analysis workflows. By integrating multiple columns and solvent switching in a single system, laboratories can reduce manual handling, improve reproducibility, and shorten development timelines.

Objectives and Study Overview

This technical note describes the implementation of the Agilent 1200 Series LC Method Development Solution. Key goals include automated scouting of up to eight columns, software configuration in Agilent ChemStation, and performance comparison against a conventional single-column RRLC system.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The system configuration consisted of:

• Agilent 1200 Series binary pump SL with micro degasser
• High-performance autosampler SL plus
• Two or three thermostatted column compartments SL plus equipped with IN/OUT valves
• Method development valve kits (G4230A/B) with capillary and column kits
• Agilent ZORBAX Rapid Resolution HT columns (1.8 µm and 3.5 µm particle sizes)
• Diode array detector (DAD) SL
• Agilent ChemStation software configured to cluster pump, solvent selection valve, and column compartments

Automated workflows were created in ChemStation by defining column positions, temperature zones, and solvent lines. Scouting experiments used six different 2.1×50 mm columns under an identical gradient and temperature profile to evaluate peak width, resolution, and symmetry.

Main Results and Discussion

Column scouting revealed that the ZORBAX SB-C18 column delivered the best compromise of peak width and resolution for the tested sample containing one main compound and four impurities. Transfer of the optimized method to a standard Agilent 1200 RRLC system showed deviations below 10% for retention times, peak widths, and USP tailing across both 2.1 mm×50 mm (1.8 µm) and 3.0 mm×100 mm (3.5 µm) formats. These results confirm the method development solution’s reliability and match to conventional systems.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The Agilent 1200 LC Method Development Solution offers:

• Simultaneous testing of up to eight short columns or six longer columns with minimal manual intervention
• Independent temperature control for each column compartment to optimize separations
• Seamless integration with ChemStation for one-click column and solvent selection
• Direct transferability of developed methods to standard RRLC systems with <10% performance variation

Future Trends and Opportunities

Emerging directions include AI-driven method scouting to explore broader solvent and gradient spaces, greener solvent systems to reduce environmental impact, micro- and nano-flow LC implementations for high-throughput screening, and integration of real-time data analytics to refine method parameters dynamically.

Conclusion

The Agilent 1200 Series LC Method Development Solution provides a highly flexible and automated platform for rapid column and mobile phase selection. It maintains performance parity with conventional single-column RRLC setups while greatly improving throughput and ease of use.

References

Agilent Technologies Inc., Agilent 1200 Series LC Method Development Solution Technical Note, Publication Number 5989-9338EN, October 2008