A new small particle packing for faster analysis with high resolution

The need for fast and efficient separations of complex samples such as pharmaceuticals and biologicals led to the development of fast, efficient, and reproducible 3.5 μm columns. Separations using 3.5 μm column are 30–50% faster at equal plate-count compared to 5 μm columns. The results show that the 3.5 μm columns (100 mm length) give the same efficiency and resolution of drug impurities as the 5 μm columns (150 mm length). For many analytical methods, switching to 3.5 μm columns saves time and reduces costs. Separation methodologies using 5 μm columns are easily modified to accommodate 3.5 μm columns of the same chemistry because efficiency, resolution and sensitivity remain the same. It is shown that 3.5 μm columns have lifetimes comparable to 5 μm columns of the same brand.