What can be done to help preserve the life of my analytical column?

The most important step in preserving the life of your column is to use clean solvents and samples. This can be done primarily through the use of filtration. Utilizing solvent filters, both in the reservoir and inline as well as sample filters, can help keep the particulate matter that may be present in these chemicals out of your column.

Another concern you must be careful to keep in mind is proper care of your column. Many times a buffer may be used as part of your mobile phase, and depending on the type of buffer you use, if it is allowed to sit stationary for a relatively long period of time, some of the buffer may precipitate out and plug your column. As a general rule, you are going to leave your column unused for more than 24 hours and you are using a buffer that might precipitate, take a few moments to wash your column free of the buffer. For most columns, it is best to store the column filled with an organic solvent, like methanol or acetonitrile. However, make sure these chemicals are compatible with the stationary phase inside your column, because if you use the chemicals that aren’t compatible with your stationary phase, your column can be functionally destroyed.

As a final note, one of the best ways to insure longer functional life from your column is to use a guard column. Guard columns often have similar chemical stationary phases as the analytical columns with which they are being used. Therefore, if something in the samples or in the mobile phase can cause damage to your analytical column, that something will interact with the stationary phase within the guard column first, hopefully saving any major damage to your analytical (and more expensive) column.