Using active flow technology columns for high through-put and efficient analyses: The drive towards ultra-high through-put high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectral detection

The performance of active flow technology chromatography columns in parallel segmented flow mode packed with 5 μm Hypersil GOLD particles was compared to conventional UHPLC columns packed with 1.9 μm Hypersil GOLD particles. While the conventional UHPLC columns produced more theoretical plates at the optimum flow rate, when separations were performed at maximum through-put the larger particle size AFT column out-performed the UHPLC column. When both the AFT column and the UHPLC column were operated such that they yielded the same number of theoretical plates per separation, the separation on the AFT column was twice as fast as that on the UHPLC column, with the same level of sensitivity and at just 70% of the back pressure. Furthermore, as the flow velocity further increased the performance gain on the AFT column compared to the UHPLC column improved. An additional advantage of the AFT column was that the flow stream at the exit of the column was split in the radial cross section of the peak profile. This enables the AFT column to be coupled to a flow limiting detector, such as a mass spectrometer. When operated under high through-put conditions separations as fast as six seconds, using mobile phase flow rates in the order of 5-6 mL/min have been recorded.