Chromatographic stability of glucose-silica

Glucose-silica was prepared and packed into five 100 x 4.6 mm I.D. columns. These columns were tested initially with selected protein mixtures. Each of the columns was stored in one combination of buffer (100 mM sodium sulfate, 20 mM sodium phosphate, pH 6.8), temperature (4 or 20 degrees C), methanol and sodium azide. After a year, we found that storing glucose-silica columns in the buffer containing sodium azide or methanol at 4 degrees C was necessary to prolong stability in storage. However, glucose-silica also exhibited some dynamic instability.