Tip: How to achieve efficient, effortless LC method transfer to the Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC System

Jan Lembcke, Agilent Product Manager Analytical HPLC

Many laboratories want to increase efficiency by taking advantage of the latest LC technology, but method transfer can be a bottleneck. Labs that would like to replace their aging LC systems with instruments that provide modern UHPLC capabilities typically face tedious method transfer and performance assessment tasks. Two Agilent innovations make the job nearly effortless.

• With the Agilent Intelligent System Emulation Technology (ISET), the Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC System can emulate other HPLC or UHPLC instruments and deliver the same chromatographic results.
• Agilent Instrument Control Framework (ICF) provides access to advanced Agilent LC capabilities from third-party software such as Waters Empower.

ISET enables seamless LC method transfer, regardless of brand

Older LCs have greater delay volumes and show different gradient mixing behavior than the newer Agilent 1290 Infinity and Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC. When transferring methods, you typically need to adjust methods or change LC tubing to get the same chromatographic results. This often imposes a re-validation of your method. Avoid these costly, time consuming steps with Agilent ISET.

Figure 1. Overlay of chromatograms of a conventional method used on an Agilent 1100 Series Binary LC and an Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC with and without ISET enabled. ISET delivers comparable results.

Figure 2. With Agilent ISET, the Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC gave retention times that were comparable to those of the Waters Alliance 2695 LC.

With Agilent Intelligent System Emulation Technology (ISET), the Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC can emulate the LC system you formerly used and deliver the same retention times and peak resolution, even for curved gradients. You activate ISET with simple mouse clicks, saving considerable time because you do not need to change either the LC capillaries or the original method. Old instruments can be retired without worry.

Agilent Application Note 5991-6289EN illustrates the advantages of ISET to transfer a method for the analysis of six tricyclic antidepressants. Without ISET, the retention times on the Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC deviated by six to nine percent from those on the older Agilent 1100 Series Binary LC System. With ISET enabled, they varied by only one percent. (See nearly identical chromatograms in the middle and bottom of Figure 1.) With ISET, you can take advantage of the wide power range and superior performance of the Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC for your new methods, while delivering comparable retention times for methods you originally ran on older systems.

ICF enables the control of Agilent LCs through 3rd party chromatography software

Agilent Instrument Control Framework (ICF) enables fast, easy third-party data system control of Agilent LC systems. Agilent provides ICF to software developers and customers at no cost. As just one example of ICF success, Agilent Application Note 5991-6408EN shows the easy transfer of an LC method from the Waters Alliance 2695 LC to an Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC controlled through Waters Empower software.

The Application Note describes how Agilent scientists analyzed paracetamol and its impurities on both systems, and compared the retention times and resolution values. The study evaluated results with and without ISET enabled. Figure 2 shows that the retention times compared very well, while Table 1 demonstrates that the Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC significantly increased the resolution for all peaks.

Table 1. The Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC gave resolution values that were better (larger) than those of the Waters Alliance 2695 LC.

Transition to greater productivity

The Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC offers ISET capabilities to enable efficient method transfer from other LC systems. Agilent Intelligent System Emulation Technology (ISET) in the Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC allows you to easily transfer methods and get the same retention times. When you upgrade from older systems, you can then enjoy the increased speed, resolution, and sensitivity of the Agilent 1290 Infinity II System for your new methods.

Additionally, Agilent Instrument Control Framework (ICF) enables comprehensive and straightforward control of the advanced LC capabilities of the Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC from third-party software such as Waters Empower.

If you want greater laboratory productivity, watch this video about Agilent ISET and ICF capabilities and discover more about the increased efficiency you achieve with the Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC.

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Article Directory – March 2016