Thermo Fisher launches three new capillary ion chromatography columns

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, today introduced three new high-capacity, high-efficiency 4 µm particle-size capillary IC columns that enable faster, more accurate analyses. The Thermo Scientific Dionex IonPac ion-exchange columns use smaller resin particles than previous columns for more efficient separation of commonly analyzed inorganic anions, organic acids, cations and small polar amines in a variety of sample matrices. The company will showcase the new columns in Thermo Scientific booth 2665 during Pittcon 2012, being held from March 11-15, in Orlando.

Many laboratories have pushed 5.5 to 9 µm particle-size capillary columns to their limits of resolution and speed. Increased flow rates alone cannot be used to accelerate analyses because both resolution and quality of results would be adversely affected. For applications requiring high resolution, it is often not practical to improve resolution by using longer gradient runs because it can reduce sample throughput.

The new Dionex IonPac™ columns enable laboratories to optimize their separations to simultaneously achieve higher resolution and higher flow rates. The new line consists of two high-capacity anion-exchange columns, the Dionex IonPac AS11-HC-4µm column and the Dionex IonPac AS18-4µm column, and one high-capacity cation-exchange column, the Dionex IonPac CS19-4µm column.

"In the past, laboratories were hesitant to adopt faster columns because it required sacrifices in column capacity, efficiency or both," said Chris Pohl, vice president, chromatography chemistry, Thermo Fisher. "Based on 4 µm media, these new columns have the capacity and selectivity of existing columns, but are also much more efficient. This extra efficiency allows the columns to operate at higher flow rates or with higher resolution, without unacceptable sacrifice."

The Dionex IonPac AS18-4µm column, offered in a 150 mm format, enables rapid analysis of anions in environmental waters using isocratic hydroxide eluents. Laboratories analyzing drinking water, wastewater and effluent samples can use this column to decrease their run times and increase overall sample throughput without loss of resolution. The Dionex IonPac AS18-4µm column provides the same selectivity as the Thermo Scientific Dionex IonPac AS18 column, simplifying method adoption.

The Dionex IonPac AS11-HC-4µm and Dionex CS19-4µm columns, offered in a 250 mm format, increase chromatographic resolution and quality of analytical results obtained when analyzing complex sample matrices such as foods and beverages, chemical process solutions and wastewater. The Dionex IonPac AS11-HC-4µm column is for high-resolution separation of organic acids and inorganic anions using hydroxide gradients. The Dionex IonPac CS19-4µm column is for high-resolution separation of common cations, small polar amines and polyvalent amines using simple MSA eluents.

All three columns, which are intended for use with the new Thermo Scientific Dionex ICS-4000 (www.thermoscientific.com/capIC) and Dionex ICS-5000 (www.thermoscientific.com/ics5000) high-pressure ion chromatography (HPIC™) capillary systems, can operate at a maximum pressure of 5000 psi.