Columns | Column: Column Watch

HPLC 2005 was held in Stockholm, Sweden, June 26-30. In this month's installment of "Column Watch," Ron Majors covers this year's hot topics including proteomics, column technology - especially monoliths - microfluidics, and multidimensional and high-throughput separations.

Pittcon 2005 - the 56th Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy - returned to the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida, 27 February-4 March 2005. This year's event hosted more than 900 instrument manufacturers and 1aboratory suppliers in more than 2300 booths. In addition to attending the exposition, the conferees were able to listen to numerous oral presentations, view more than 900 posters, check out 38 seminar rooms, or attend one of 150 short courses.

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When a column is replaced with a new or "equivalent" column, sometimes the chromatogram can change so much that it is no longer suitable for its intended use. In such cases, method adjustment is necessary to correct the change. How much can the chromatographic variables be changed before revalidation is required? What do the regulatory agencies have to say about method adjustment? The authors discuss these issues and propose a technique that can be used to speed selection of new operating conditions.

Column Editor Ron Majors turns his attention to preparative chromatography. He focuses on the columns used in preparative chromatography, including how to select the appropriate mode, mobile-phase system and operating conditions.

Majors discusses low-dispersion columns, describes how to modify HPLC systems to work with the small-volume columns, and provides guidance about obtaining the optimum capabilities from these columns.

Highlights of HPLC 2003

Majors discusses highlights from HPLC 2003, held June 2003 in Nice, France.