LIU Fan, XIONG Zhi-chao, ZHANG Ling-yi, ZHANG Wei-bing

East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China

Abstract: Methods for cleaning and regeneration of reversed phase, normal phase, ion exchange, size exclusion chromatographic, affinity chromatographic and other liquid chromatographic columns are summarized in this paper, aiming at the recovery of the separation ability of contaminated columns, and the extension of the lifetime of columns. According to the sequence of the increase of solvent strength a series of solvents can be used for, the cleaning and regeneration of silica-based reversed-phase chromatographic columns, and some strong solvents such as MMF, SDS, acetone and hydrochloric acid cna also be used. For silica-based normal phase chromatographic columns a solvent washing system with increased polarity is effective. The recommended column washing solvents for organic polymers, graphite carbon and zirconium oxide stationary phase columns are dilute acid, dilute alkali and organic solvents. After cleaning and regeneration by these methods, the column efficiency of contaminated columns can be increased by 50%.

Key words: HPLC; column; cleaning; regeneration

E-mail: weibingzhang@ecust.edu.cn

Analysis and Testing Technology and Instruments, Vol. 16, No. 2, 2010, 71-77.