HPLC is necessary for variety of pharmaceutical processes. Some examples include evaluating formulations, checking purity, and monitoring changes that come with process adjustments and scaleups.
Sample preparation is a necessary step for laboratories that use HPLC. Filtration, solid and liquid phase extraction, and centrifugation are common sample preparation techniques.
A lack of understanding of these sample prep procedures can lead to user error, instrument downtime, and increased service requirements. Reduced separation efficiency and column life can affect the throughput of your HPLC sample preparation. When preparing samples for HPLC, using an ideal filter for your sample is a simple way to increase efficiency. Components that can be optimized are pore size, membrane material, and filter diameter.
Minimizing the number of unwanted particulates in your sample protects the pump and the column, extending the life of your equipment. Most filters are made of a random interconnected sponge-like structures. They are not very precise but work well for basic processes.
True pore membrane filters have a direct path from the top to the bottom of the filter and a specific pore size. This allows for particles within a defined range to be filtered from your sample.
Stacked filter devices have multiple filter layers starting with larger pore sizes and going down to the desired pore size. They don’t get clogged as easily as devices with a single membrane, which makes filtration and HPLC prep faster and easier.
If your lab processes a large quantity of samples per day, automation is a great way to reduce human error and gain productivity in your lab.
A syringeless filter includes the filter membrane, pre-filtration chamber, post-filtration storage vial, and cap in one device. You only need to add the sample to the outer chamber, place the plunger, and push. The inner storage vial holds your filtered sample until you are ready for HPLC analysis. It can then be transferred directly into your chromatography column autosampler. Syringeless filter HPLC sample prep can be performed three times faster than with syringe filters and minimizes the number of laboratory consumables.