A new high performance liquid chromatography multifactor methodology for systematic and simultaneous optimisation of the gradient solvent system and the instrumental/experimental variables

A simple HPLC methodology is proposed which takes into account changes in solvent composition and analysis time in order to speed up lengthy separations without affecting the chromatographic resolution. The main aspects discussed in the demonstration of the proposed approach are: routine analyses; long execution time separation processes; and an overall treatment of all the parameters. The combination of the new methodology and experimental design tools, such as a Doehlert matrix, has proved to be a reliable alternative to optimise simultaneously the HPLC solvent gradient system and the instrumental/experimental variables. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.