Abstract:

A novel multiple-channel apparatus for packing capillary chromatographic column was designed and manufactured for packing six capillary chromatographic columns with close column efficiency at the same time. Briefly, it consists of a magnetic stirrer, a liquid chromatographic pump and a multiple-channel can. The reagents used for preparing ODS (C18) slurry and stirring condition of the magnetic stirrer were optimized in the study. Two batches of capillary chromatographic columns were packed under the optimum condition, and these packed capillary chromatographic columns were evaluated in the terms of peak capacity, sequence coverage, retention times of three peptide ions and column pressure using the tryptic digest of a bovine serum albumin (BSA) and detected by LC-MS in electrospray ionization (ESI) mode. The experimental results showed that the six capillary chromatographic columns packed at the same time had close column efficiencies, however, the column efficiencies of twelve capillary chromatographic columns packed at two times were significantly different. In addition, there was no significant column efficiency difference when packing one or six capillary chromatographic columns at the same time. The multiple-channel apparatus designed by us is simple, time-saving, and can be applied to pack capillary chromatographic columns with similar column efficiencies, thus it is of evident advantage over traditional one-channel apparatus.

Key words: capillary chromatographic column, capillary liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (CLC-MS), multiple-channel, packing column apparatus