Variability of column selectivity for reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography: Compensation by adjustment of separation conditions

Reversed-phase columns are widely used in assays based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). When such assays are repeated over time, it is often necessary to replace the column. In such cases, the selectivity of columns from different production batches may prove sufficiently variable to result in a failed separation. It is possible to compensate for differences in column selectivity by making small changes (adjustments) in separation conditions. The present paper describes an efficient procedure for choosing adjusted conditions and discusses its general applicability.