Evaluating active flow technology HPLC columns as a platform for multiplexed detection

Active flow technology is a new high performance liquid chromatography column format that has been shown to improve separation performance in terms of the sensitivity, resolution and number of theoretical plates. In this study active flow technology has been shown as a platform for multiplexed detection, with sample analysis being undertaken from each of four separated flow streams located at the column outlet: One central port and three peripheral ports. The flow homogeneity across each of these ports was studied using theoretical plates and sensitivity as the performance indicators. The experimental findings showed that the theoretical plates were lower for solutes that eluted from the peripheral ports compared to the performance observed from a conventional column. However, the sensitivity in UV detection that was obtained from any of the three peripheral ports was approximately the same as that from a conventional column. The study therefore concluded that detection from the peripheral ports was feasible, dependent on the attributes of the detector itself.