Do the columns need to be aged?
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I would like to ask everyone a question: Our company uses gas chromatography. Previously, ethylamine was used; now isopropylamine is being tested instead. They are two different products, but their properties are similar. The chromatography used for ethylamine can be used for isopropylamine as well, without any need to change the operating conditions. However, if the column is changed from using ethylamine to using isopropylamine, is it necessary to age the column? Or are there other ways to handle it? Thank you!
It’s better to age it a bit, just to be safe
The opinion is correct; aging the column isn’t complicated, and it’s safer to do so anyway.
Since there is not much difference between the two substances, routine aging can be carried out if conditions permit. If everything seems fine (as judged by spectrum separation and noise baseline), conduct a constant-temperature analysis by raising the column temperature by 20 degrees; for ramping methods, set the temperature to 20 degrees above the maximum temperature, and bake for 1–2 hours.
It is best to age it at a temperature slightly higher than that of the analysis column, but certainly below the column’s maximum operating temperature; alternatively, it can be cleaned several times with a solvent
Under normal circumstances, when switching from one sample to another after using the same chromatography column, aging is necessary. The steps for aging are as follows: 1. Use a temperature that is 20 degrees higher than the normal operating temperature; if the temperature required for the new sample is lower than that of the previous sample, use the higher temperature as the reference value for aging. 2. During aging, the chromatography column must be disconnected from the detector to prevent contamination of the column. 3. As mentioned earlier, the aging temperature should not exceed the maximum operating temperature allowed for the column. 4. The typical aging time is 6 hours