ISC 2026 Update: Technological Innovations in Chromatography

An afternoon session on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at ISC 2026 in Prague, Czech Republic, focused on the development of innovative technologies in separation science.^1,2 The session was moderated by Bram Huygens from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, and Jiří Urban from Masaryk University, Czech Republic.

Peter Schoenmakers from the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, gave a tutorial-style talk called The Great (Separation) Power of Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography, highlighting how two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) can improve the analysis of complex mixtures by combining two separation dimensions with different selectivities.

Schoenmakers explained heart-cutting 2D-LC, in which selected regions of a first chromatographic separation are transferred to a second dimension for further analysis. This targeted strategy can support applications including the investigation of specific components, peak-purity assessment, and compound purification. Comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC×LC) extends this principle by applying the second separation across the sample, substantially increasing separation capacity compared with conventional one-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC).

Schoenmakers emphasized that the success of 2D-LC depends on obtaining complementary selectivity from the two dimensions. Method development therefore requires careful consideration of stationary-phase selection, column dimensions, and operating conditions. In LC×LC, the transfer of material between dimensions introduces additional instrumental and optimization challenges.

Using practical examples from a range of applications, Schoenmakers illustrated the balance between the increased resolving power offered by multidimensional chromatography and the complexity involved in developing robust methods. Although 2D-LC provides a powerful strategy for challenging separations, he emphasized that method development is more complex and remains an important barrier to its wider adoption.

Malak Bigourd from Sorbonne University, France, presented on MEMS Column for Space Missions: Design Optimization of Fluidic Interface and Column Inlet-Outlet Geometry to Combine Test Reliability and Maximum Efficiency. Bigourd described his research developing miniaturized gas chromatography (GC) components for space missions that need to analyze organic compounds, tackling the challenge of reducing instrument size without sacrificing chromatographic performance or mechanical robustness.

Bigourd and his team developed a fluidic interface that integrates micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)-based preconcentrators, columns, and detectors, with mechanical connections that allow components to be assembled or swapped out without damaging the delicate MEMS structures. The same interface also doubles as a platform for stationary-phase coating. He reported that optimizing the inlet and outlet geometry reduced extracolumn volume and lifted measured efficiency by as much as 74%. The resulting MEMS column was also coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) and used to analyze alkanes, fatty-acid methyl esters, and amino acids. The work points to fluidic integration and column geometry as key factors in building miniaturized chromatographic systems for space-based analysis, according to Bigourd.

In Silico Optimization of Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography in Proteomics was presented by Katařina Hrůzová from Masaryk University, Czech Republic. Hrůzová described a computational approach for building comprehensive online 2D-LC methods for proteomics, aimed at cutting down the experimental work needed to find suitable columns and operating conditions while still achieving high peak capacity.

Retention data were generated from reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) separations of tryptic protein digests, which were then used to build mathematical models of peptide behavior in both separation modes, incorporating gradient conditions, flow rates, modulation times, and column dimensions. Experimental peak-width measurements were converted into parameters describing chromatographic broadening and applied to predict how separations would perform under different conditions, including the effects of modulation and first-dimension gradients on the second separation. She highlighted that the comparison of simulated chromatograms with experimental chromatograms showed that computational modeling can meaningfully support 2D-LC method development and reduce the number of experimental iterations needed to optimize it.

The session concluded with a talk by Daniel Frerichs from Philipps University Marburg, Germany, called Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Mixed-Mode Chromatography: Generation and Solvation of a Reversed-Phase/Anion-Exchange Stationary Phase. This talk focused on molecular dynamics simulations of a mixed-mode stationary phase that combines reversed-phase and anion-exchange functionality with the aim of understanding how its molecular architecture shapes interactions with the mobile phase and with analytes.

The team built a model silica surface featuring hydrophobic alkyl groups around a tertiary amine group alongside regions of hydroxylated silica, then ran simulations in water–acetonitrile mobile phases to study solvent organization and ion distribution around the stationary phase. Comparing the results with conventional reversed-phase surfaces helped isolate the effects specific to the mixed-mode structure and its surface charge; the simulations suggested that how hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions are arranged governs ion accessibility and the local solvent environment. Frerichs highlighted that this study shows how molecular simulation can shed light on stationary-phase structure and retention mechanisms in mixed-mode chromatography.

References

1. ISC 2026 Program: https://www.czech-in.org/cmPortalv15/Searchable/isc26/config/normal#!sessiondetails/0000375200_0(accessed 2026-09-08).
2. Holčapek, M.; Nováková, L. ISC 2026 Preview. LCGC International 2026, 3 (5), 34.