October 1999

The guest authors summarize the history of this Japanese scientific instrument company and events in the development of its products.

Data management using database management system software has become a mainstream desktop application because of its ease compared with spreadsheet programs.

Analysts can optimize their separations by using combinations of two columns connected in series. This type of coupled column system produces peak separations that are a combination of separations obtained on each column.

In this month's "Column Watch," Majors recounts some of the more interesting paper and poster presentations given at HPLC '99, held May 30–June 4, in Grenada, Spain.

Inadequate mobile-phase gassing may be the single largest cause of LC problems. Columnist Dolan examines bubble-problem sources and techniques that analysts can use to eliminate excess gas in the mobile phase.

The authors describe the results they've achieved by using water heated to 100–240 ºC as a liquid eluent for reversed-phase HPLC instead of an organic modifier. They point out that this alternative avoids many of the problems – toxicity, flammability, and cost – associated with organic modifiers.

The authors evaluate a new chiroptical detector's sensitivity for various chiral compounds, linear dynamic range, and relative response with different solvents.