Polymeric columns for liquid chromatography

Polymeric columns are becoming used more frequently in modern liquid chromatography applications as improvements in polymeric packing materials are realized and as more applications are developed for these materials. Modern polymers have overcome earlier problems associated with their use; higher rigidity now allows them to be used at normal eluent flow rates resulting in faster analyses, and improved synthesis techniques have resulted in efficiencies comparable to the best silica materials, sometimes exceeding 100,000 plates/m. In addition, polymers offer distinct advantages over silica packing for particular applications. Because silica packings are readily degraded by aqueous eluents, they are not always suitable for separations involving ionic species. Polymeric columns are particularly useful in determinations of amino acids, peptides, proteins, organic acids, carbohydrates, and inorganic cations and anions. Polymers are also characterized by exceptional lot-to-lot reproducibility. Reproducibility is often problematic with silica packings, particularly the bonded phases.