Innovations from Agilent - Improve your separations

Significance of the Topic

The continuous development of high-performance consumables and supplies is critical for modern analytical laboratories. Improved chromatographic and spectroscopic components drive higher throughput, greater sensitivity, and robust operation, supporting research, quality control, and biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

Objectives and Study Overview

This whitepaper presents Agilent’s recent innovations in columns, sample preparation consumables, and supporting hardware. The goal is to showcase performance enhancements, economic value, and workflow simplification across LC, GC, and spectroscopy applications.

Methodology and Used Instrumentation

Agilent evaluated a portfolio of advanced consumables under typical laboratory conditions. Key product categories include:

• LC Columns & Supplies:
  • AdvanceBio Amino Acid Analysis
  • AdvanceBio Peptide Plus
  • AdvanceBio MS Spent Media
  • InfinityLab Poroshell 120 HILIC (HILIC-Z, HILIC-OH5)
  • InfinityLab Poroshell 120 Chiral
• GC Columns & Supplies:
  • J&W DB-FATWAX Ultra Inert
  • J&W DB-HeavyWAX
  • ADM Flowmeter
  • IDP-3 Dry Scroll Pump
• Spectroscopy Standards and Supplies:
  • OneNeb Series 2 Nebulizer
  • ICH/USP <232> Impurities Kit
  • LED Measuring Magnifier
• Sample Prep & Vials:
  • Captiva Enhanced Matrix Removal–Lipid (EMR-Lipid)
  • A-Line Vials

Instrumentation was tested on HPLC, UHPLC, LC/MS, GC/FID, ICP-MS, and ICP-OES platforms to verify compatibility and performance gains.

Main Results and Discussion

• AdvanceBio Amino Acid columns delivered high-pH stability, sub-2 µm efficiency with reduced backpressure, and double endcapping for sharp amino acid separations.
• AdvanceBio Peptide Plus columns showed improved peptide mapping sensitivity on LC/MS, with symmetric peaks and no performance loss at higher mass loads.
• MS Spent Media HILIC columns enabled direct analysis of amino acids and polar metabolites without derivatization, achieving reproducible, MS-compatible separations.
• Poroshell 120 HILIC-Z and OH5 columns provided broad polarity range, high temperature/pH tolerance, and robust retention of charged analytes using low-salt mobile phases.
• Poroshell 120 Chiral columns combined superficially porous particles with novel chiral phases for faster enantiomer resolution and increased throughput.
• Captiva EMR-Lipid SPE plates and cartridges removed >99% of phospholipids, simplifying workflows and improving precision in lipid-rich samples.
• A-Line Vials ensured consistent recoveries, reducing reruns and unplanned costs by up to 25% through tight quality control.
• OneNeb Series 2 nebulizers improved sensitivity and tolerance to high dissolved solids, offering <1% RSD precision and minimal downtime.
• ICH/USP <232> Impurities Kit provided certified reference materials for trace elemental analysis across AA, ICP-OES, MP-AES, and ICP-MS methods.
• LED Measuring Magnifier and Cone Care Kit facilitated rapid inspection and maintenance of ICP-MS interface cones, preserving sensitivity.
• DB-FATWAX Ultra Inert and DB-HeavyWAX GC columns extended inertness, temperature range (up to 290 °C), and selectivity for fatty acids and FAMEs, reducing run times by ~20%.
• ADM Flowmeter and IDP-3 Dry Scroll Pump provided external flow verification and oil-free vacuum, enhancing system qualification and uptime.
• Agilent University Running Start offered modular online training to accelerate operator proficiency and reduce onboarding time.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The combined portfolio delivers:

• Higher laboratory productivity through faster separations and fewer maintenance interruptions.
• Cost savings from longer column lifetimes, reduced consumable usage, and minimized repeat analyses.
• Enhanced data quality via improved inertness, peak shape, and reproducibility across multiple platforms.
• Simplified workflows using pass-through SPE, derivatization-free methods, and standardized vials and reference materials.
• Regulatory compliance supported by certified consumables and structured training programs.

Future Trends and Opportunities

The analytical consumables market is expected to evolve towards:

• Increased integration of automation and single-use formats to streamline high-throughput labs.
• Development of next-generation stationary phases for ultra-fast separations and improved selectivity.
• Greater use of eco-friendly materials and low-solvent methods to reduce environmental footprint.
• Enhanced digital connectivity for real-time monitoring of consumable health and predictive maintenance.
• AI-driven method optimization leveraging consistent, high-performance consumables.

Conclusion

Agilent’s latest columns, supplies, and support services collectively address modern analytical challenges by boosting throughput, robustness, and data quality while reducing cost and complexity. Adoption of these innovations enables laboratories to meet stringent regulatory demands and accelerate scientific discovery.