What's The Right Liquid Chromatography System for You?
In this article, we compare quaternary LC systems to help you choose the best for your analysis needs
5 Mar 2018
When considering modern liquid chromatography (LC) systems, one of two styles of pump can be used to provide a mobile phase to the system - binary or quaternary. In quaternary pumping systems, a single pump can deliver the mobile phase and provides the flexibility of allowing up to four different solvents to be used, or mixed, at the same time.
Water's portfolio of analytical LC systems is designed to meet a variety of requirements for reliability, robustness and repeatability. In this article, we help you choose which system is best for your research needs.
Which LC system is right for your lab?
System Alliance HPLC System Acquity Arc LC System Acquity UPLC H-class System Description The time-tested, reliable workhorse for your HPLC separations - that isn't going away any time soon A versatile LC platform for laboratories in need of a solution to replicate or improve HPLC methods Run true UPLC separations and maximize the efficiency of your laboratory
Dispersion impact (relative)
Low Medium High Operating Pressure (psi) <6,000 6,000-15,000 9,000-15,000 Typical flow rate (mL/min)
<3
<2 <1 Optimal particle size (µm) >3.5 1.5-5 <2 Cost per sample (relative) High Medium Low Optimal column I.D (mm)
≥4.6
2.1-4.6 1-3 Separation efficiency
122
118 116 Retention time (min)
15
3.75 1.70 Initial cost of system Low Medium High Total cost of ownership/time High Medium Low Cost of solvent 9x more than UPLC 4x more than UPLC Low
In summary, choose:
- Alliance HPLC System – if you need a time-tested, reliable and flexible HPLC system that consistently delivers high performance.
- Acquity Arc LC System – for a versatile LC platform with the robustness to bridge the gap between HPLC and UPLC, while continuing to support validated assays.
- Acquity UPLC H-class System – to invest in your laboratory’s future, by gaining the highest resolution of any quaternary LC system, and improving efficiency by scaling up to UPLC technology.
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Waters Alliance™ HPLC System
WatersAn integrated HPLC system that works as hard as you do, available with push-button mass detection for the chromatographer. The Alliance™ HPLC System is the flexible and reliable workhorse that meets your fundamental HPLC separation requirements. The system has been continually expanded and perfected to accommodate an enormous range of real-world analytical challenges, culminating in today’s new industrial design which signifies Waters’ commitment to HPLC and our HPLC line. Today, users can extend the Alliance HPLC System’s performance with XP 2.5 µm Columns. XP Columns are compatible with both HPLC and UPLC technology and are designed to not only improve our HPLC productivity, but also facilitate a transfer to UPLC Technology platforms as well. Directly scalable between UPLC and HPLC particle sizes, these new 2.5 um XP Columns bridge the gap between HPLC and UPLC performance. Whether your lab analyzes samples in the pharmaceutical, chemical, food safety, environmental, or quality control arenas, the Alliance HPLC system offers you a field-proven solution. Integrated solvent and sample management to ensure consistent system-to-system performance and high reproducibility. Waters Alliance™ HPLC System Features: Full integration with either Empower® or MassLynx® Software for instrument control and data processing A large, intuitive LCD-based user interface allows rapid system set-up through SystemPREP routines that streamline daily start-ups Easy, tool-free maintenance resulting in maximized uptime Waters complete line of detection technologies – from routine UV/Vis detectors, to the ACQUITY QDa Detector to single, tandem and triple quadrupole mass spectrometers - extend your application capabilities