HPLC is, for many scientists, an essential apparatus for the separation, identification, purification and quantification of various compounds. Users of HPLC work in a variety of fields including biomedical research, and the cosmetics, energy, and food industries. UHPLC is gaining rapid acceptance for its performance, speed of analysis and low consumption of eluent.

Top 6 Questions You Should Ask When Buying an HPLC system

1. How flexible is the system? Ask about whether the system can be optimized to meet your laboratory requirements.

2. What tubes, vessels, vials can it accommodate? Can components (such as additional detectors, valves, etc.) be upgraded in the future?

3. Is the software easy to use and operate? Can a demo version be put in place to get a feel for how the software functions for your laboratory’s workflow?

4. H ow is the system (not just components) qualified during installation as to meeting manufacturer performance expectations?

5. Who provides the support and service for the product? Is it the manufacturer or a third party service group? If it is a third party service group, are they factory-trained?

6. Finally, ask about cost of the purchase; not just the price of the product being installed but the total cost of ownership, which includes price, service expectations, warranty, etc.

Types of HPLC systems respondents to our most recent HPLC systems survey are using.

Since 95 percent of vendors ship HPLC systems with an autosampler included, it’s no wonder it’s the most common out of the HPLC system components our readers are using.

The top 10 features that our readers found the most important in deciding to purchase an HPLC system include:

Recently Released HPLC Systems

PLC 2020
• Designed for all levels of purification, from high pressure reverse phase chromatography to FLASH
• The system allows for conditional logic fraction collection based on up to two detector channels using any combination of slope and/or level
• Supports up to five different solvents and users can auto-print and auto-export sample reports at the end of every run

Gilson
www.gilson.com

1260 Infinity Hybrid SFC/UHPLC System
• Performs both supercritical fluid chromatography and ultra high-performance liquid chromatography
• Easily converts to either a standalone SFC or UHPLC or can integrate modules into pre-existing systems
• Features 600 bar capability
• System can also be built up using pre-existing 1100, 1200 and 1260 Agilent modules, saving costs

Agilent
www.agilent.com

UltiMate 3000 XRS UHPLC System
• Offers new UHPLC capabilities in solvent delivery and sample handling with a wide range of detector options for high-throughput laboratories
• Designed to support very robust chromatographic runs with column pressures up to 1,250 bar (18,130 psi)
• New flow cell design, combined with Viper connection technology, to reduce resolution loss and peak dispersion while offering ease-of-use and performance

Thermo Fisher Scientific
www.thermoscientific.com

ACQUITY UPC2
• New technology marries the unrealized potential of SFC with Waters proven
• UPLC® technology and expertise in the management of fluids,  temperature, and pressure
• Allows users to separate, detect and quantify structural analogs, isomers, enantiomeric  and diasteriomeric mixtures
• Features compressed carbon dioxide (CO2) as the primary mobile phase

Waters
www.waters.com

HPLC Systems Manufacturers