Use of macroporous polymeric high-performance liquid chromatographic columns in pharmaceutical analysis

Abstract

One of the advantages of polymeric HPLC packings over silica-based packings is chemical stability, particularly at elevated pH levels. This paper describes the application of polymeric (PLRP-S) columns to four typical pharmaceutical studies: the separation of Vigabatrin (4-aminohex-5-enoic acid), a novel GABA transaminase inhibitor, from its related compounds; the separation of Vigabatrin from a degradation product in a liquid formulation containing benzoic acid as a preservative; the determination of aminophylline in a tablet formulation; and the determination of sodium camphorsulphonate in a liquid formulation.

This paper compares PLRP-S columns with silica-based columns and considers some theoretical parameters affecting chromatographic performance. The column efficiency of PLRP-S is shown to increase with temperature. Graphs of In k′ versus reciprocal temperature for LiChrosorb RP-18 and PLRP-S columns deviate slightly from linearity using methanol-water mobile phases. Graphs of reciprocal k′ versus reciprocal root ionic strength are linear for PLRP-S columns. The adsorption mechanism proposed to explain this phenomenon is the Stern-Gouy-Chapman theory of the electrical double layer.