Evolution in miniaturized column liquid chromatography instrumentation and applications: An overview

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Chromatography

Background:

• Miniaturized Liquid Chromatography (LC) systems have evolved significantly, offering diverse instrumental designs.
• Current systems feature varied pump designs, interfaces, detectors, efficient columns, and reduced connections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the evolution of miniaturized LC instrumental systems.
• To discuss the advantages and drawbacks of commercially available systems.
• To cover recent developments in instrumentation, columns, and applications.

Main Methods:

• Review of commercially available miniaturized LC systems (nano and micro LC formats).
• Discussion of solvent delivery systems, including reciprocating and syringe-type pumps.
• Analysis of detection systems, focusing on mass spectrometry and alternative ionization sources like direct-EI LC-MS.

Main Results:

• Solvent delivery systems now operate without flow splitters and support gradient elution.
• Mass spectrometry is a prevalent detection method, with direct-EI LC-MS emerging as a key alternative to APCI.
• Capillary columns offer a wide range of stationary phases, inner diameters, and hardware materials.

Conclusions:

• Miniaturized LC systems present a promising field with ongoing advancements in instrumentation and columns.
• The review highlights the fundamentals and instrumental aspects of these systems.
• Diverse applications are enabled by the continuous development in miniaturized LC technology.