Owner's manual

[ Care and Use ManUal ]
XSELECT HSS HPLC COLUMNS
7
d. Column Use Information
The eCord chip provides the customer with column use data. The top
of the screen identifies the column including chemistry type, column
dimensions and serial number. The overall column usage informa-
tion includes the total number of samples, total number of injec-
tions, total sample sets, date of first injection, date of last injection,
maximum pressure and temperature. The information also details
the column history by sample set including date started, sample set
name, user name, system name, number of injections in the sample
set, number of samples in the sample set, maximum pressure and
temperature in the sample set and if the column
V. addItIonal InformatIon
a. Tips for Maximizing ACQUITY UPLC HSS Column Lifetimes
1. To maximize ACQUITY UPLC column lifetime, pay close
attention to:
 •Waterquality(includingwaterpurificationsystem)
 •Solventquality
 •Mobilephasepreparation,storageandage
 •Sample,bufferandmobilephasesolubilities
 •Samplequalityandpreparation.
2. When problems arise, often only one improper practice must
be changed.
3. Always remember to:
 •Usein-linefilterunitor,preferably,aVanGuard
Pre-Column.
 •Discouragebacterialgrowthbyminimizingtheuseof 
100% aqueous mobile phases where possible.
 •Changeaqueousmobilephaseevery24–48hours
(if 100% aqueous mobile phase use is required).
 •Discardold100%aqueousmobilephasesevery24-
48 hours to discourage bacterial growth.
 •Add5%-10%organicmodifiertomobilephaseA
and adjust gradient profile.
 •Filteraqueousportionsofmobilephasethrough
0.2 µm filter.
 •Maintainyourwaterpurificationsystemsothatitisin
good working order.
 •Onlyuseultrapurewater(18megohm-cm)waterand 
highest quality solvents possible. HPLC grade water is not
UPLC grade water.
 •Considersamplepreparation(e.g.,solid-phase
extraction, filtration, etc).
4. Avoid (where possible):
 •100%aqueousmobilephases(ifpossible)
 •HPLC-gradebottledwater
 •“Toppingoff”yourmobilephases
 •Oldaqueousmobilephases.Remembertorinsebottles
thoroughly and prepare fresh every 24 to 48 hrs
 •Usingphosphatesaltbufferincombinationwithhigh 
ACN concentrations (e.g., > 70%) due to precipitation.
5. Don’t: assume a “bad” column is the culprit when high
backpressure or split peaks are observed:
 •Investigatecauseofcolumnfailure
 •Backpressure
 •Mobilephase(s),bacteria,precipitationand/orsamples
 •Peaksplitting
 •Samplequality
 •Injectionsolventstrength.
6. Remember: the diameter of UPLC columns (1.0, 2.1 and 3.0 mm
ID) are often lower than that of a conventional HPLC column
and therefore, mobile phases last much longer. To reduce the
chances of mobile-phase contamination or degradation, only
prepare what you need for analysis or store excess bulk quantities
in a refrigerated environment.