Overcoming “speed limits” in high throughput chromatographic analysis

•Increase of throughput in chromatographic analysis by high speed autosampler technology.•Combination with ultrafast chromatographic separation enables analysis of 96 well plates in 17 min.•Demonstrated for high speed enantiopurity analysis as well as rapid analysis for biocatalyst screening.

The combination of high speed autosampler technology and ultrafast chromatographic separations enables faster high throughput analysis. With an injection cycle time of 10.6 s, MISER (Multiple Injection in a Single Experimental Run) HPLC-MS analysis of a 96 well microplate can be completed in only 17 min. As chromatographic separations in the sub 5 s range become increasingly common, even faster autosamplers will be needed to realize further speed improvements in high throughput LC-MS analysis. Indeed with proper hardware sampling approaches, chromatographic analysis of microplates could approach speeds of spectrophotometric plate readers while maintaining the advantage of multicomponent detection and monitoring.