PECM Issue 69 2024 | Page 68

Optimising chromatograph performance

MACHINING & MACHINERY ACCURACY AND REPEATABILITY

BURKERT
Optimising chromatograph performance
Gas and liquid chromatography are indispensable techniques used in the pharmaceutical and clinical fields . They are essential for the separation , identification , and quantification of complex mixtures . These methods offer high sensitivity and precision , making them ideal for analysing a wide range of substances , from small organic compounds to large biomolecules . Creating new pieces of equipment to carry out these tasks requires numerous flow control components and it is important to focus on those that deliver the best results .
Troy Stehr , Industry Account Manager at Bürkert , looks at the challenges of creating chromatographs that deliver the accuracy and repeatability demanded by medical and pharmaceutical applications .
In the pharmaceutical industry , chromatography is crucial for drug development , quality control , and ensuring the purity of active pharmaceutical ingredients ( APIs ). Clinically , it aids in the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases through the analysis of biomarkers , therapeutic drugs , and metabolites .
Challenges to accuracy
The development of new chromatographic systems , however , presents several challenges . A primary obstacle is the precise control of gas and liquid flow , which is fundamental to achieving accurate and reproducible results . Inconsistent flow rates can lead to poor separation , compromised detection limits , and unreliable quantification , ultimately affecting the integrity of the analytical results .
Ensuring a stable and precise flow rate is essential to ensuring precision and repeatability .
68 PECM Issue 69