Characterization of immobilized artificial membrane (IAM) and XTerra columns by means of chromatographic models

Immobilized artificial membranes (IAMs) prepared from phosphatidylcholine analogs are used as stationary phases in liquid chromatography systems to model drug partitioning between an aqueous phase (mobile phase) and a cell membrane (IAM column). Two different chromatographic models, which describe retention as a function of solute and column-mobile phase properties, have been applied to characterization of an IAM and two reversed phase C18 columns (Waters XTerra MSC18 and XTerra RP18) with acetonitrile–water mobile phases. The comparison of the results shows that the phosphatidylcholine group makes IAM column more polar than both XTerra columns, specially in terms of hydrogen-bond acceptor ability. XTerra RP18 is slightly more polar than XTerra MSC18 because of the presence of the embedded carbamate polar group.