Enhanced Polar Retention with New Polar UHPLC Columns

Phenomenex (USA) has added even more separation power to its novel UHPLC product portfolio with the introduction of the Luna Omega 1.6 µm Polar C18 stationary phase.

The Luna Omega Polar C18 is a novel UHPLC stationary phase capable of providing a unique selectivity within a wide elution window and increased retention for both polar and non-polar analytes. The all-purpose C18 ligand provides hydrophobic interactions while a polar modified particle surface delivers enhanced polar retention and aqueous stability. The ability to get combined retention of polars and non-polars by the Luna Omega Polar C18 means that this column has a very wide applicability and can be used in nearly every industry that depends on UHPLC instrumentation, including those that work with large compound screens, metabolite/impurity profiles, and even unknown natural products.

Compared to traditional alkyl phases, the Luna Omega Polar C18 offers greater polar compound retention. This can broaden the solvent systems at a chromatographer’s disposal for method development while also helping to deliver desired resolution between important compounds or even move peaks out of matrix suppression zones to allow for greater sensitivity. Unlike traditional C18 stationary phases, the polar modified surface of the Luna Omega Polar C18 gives it stability in 100 percent aqueous mobile phase conditions. This is useful for methods that may require resolution of problematic polar (acidic or basic) compounds that have poor retention under reversed phase conditions.

The Luna Omega Polar C18 can also be used to upgrade existing UHPLC methods. With a novel and finely tuned manufacturing process, Luna Omega 1.6 µm UHPLC silica is produced at the highest quality and consistency to ensure high efficiency, surface area, mechanical strength, and inertness. These attributes in combination with industry-leading packing technologies and a unique selectivity profile will potentially allow customers to realize lower limits of detection with increases in sensitivity levels as well as efficiency/peak capacity gains that aid in the resolution of closely eluting peaks. Combining the Polar C18 with the previously released fully porous Luna Omega C18 and Kinetex 1.7 µm core-shell phases further expands the options for UHPLC method development and improvement.

Enhanced with 20 years of technology, innovation, and experience, Luna Omega 1.6 µm columns build upon the Luna legacy to provide incredible UHPLC performance and selectivity. Now, with the addition of the Luna Omega Polar C18 stationary phase, the benefits of greater polar retention and 100 percent aqueous stability are also easily within reach.