New UHPLC Tool for Superior Biopolymer Analysis

The Nexera XS inert

Shimadzu has introduced the new ‘Nexera XS inert’, a biocompatible, bioinert Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) system. It offers the same superior reliability, robustness and expandability as other Nexera series UHPLC

systems. It is particularly well-suited to analysing biopolymers such as antibodies, peptides or nucleic acids. The Nexera XS inert is compatible with mobile phase solvents containing high concentrations of salts or acids and has been designed to prevent adsorption of target compounds to metal surfaces in the sample flow path. The Nexera XS inert is also equipped with additional new and advanced product features, such as bioinert column switching, finger-tightened UHPLC connectors and a real-time pH monitor.

The new Nexera XS inert UHPLC features a metal-free sample flow path that prevents unwanted interaction with biopolymers prone to adsorption onto exposed metal sites. By doing this, the Nexera XS inert achieves reduced sample loss and excellent peak shape for reproducibly high sensitivity and high-quality, reliable data. In addition, all wetted surfaces are prepared from corrosion-resistant materials, rendering them stable against mobile phase solvents containing high concentrations of salts or acids.

Unconstrained Recovery and Sensitivity

In quantitative analysis of biomolecules, adsorption of the target compound to a metal surface can result in a dramatic decrease in sensitivity. The Nexera XS inert system consists of stainless-steel-casing-reinforced PEEK tubing (polyether ether ketone), a high-performance engineered polymer with mechanical and chemical resistance properties. It ensures a system pressure tolerance of > 100 MPa while maintaining a bioinert flow path. The ceramic injection needle offers metal-free injections and minimised carryover. By preventing adsorption to metal surfaces, the Nexera XS inert system achieves much higher sensitivity and better reproducibility than a general-purpose UHPLC system.

Clear Resolution without Restrictions

The system’s 105 MPa pressure resistance enables the use of long separation columns packed with small-sized particles to achieve ultra-high efficiency in a wide variety of applications. The newly developed PEEK-lined tubing comes with tool-free, finger-tightened fittings. These permit reliably connected columns to withstand a pressure of up to 105 MPa without creating any dead volume or risking damage by overtightening. All valves used in the Nexera XS inert system are designed to inhibit metal adsorption, allowing for worry-free switching between multiple columns for method development or for trap-and-elute analysis. The optional pHM-40 offers real-time measurement of the mobile phase pH during the course of the experiment to ensure accuracy and traceability, even when running a pH gradient, as used in ion-exchange chromatography.

Consumables ideal for analysing Biopharmaceuticals

Analysing biopolymers such as proteins, peptides and nucleic acids requires columns with different separation modes. Especially for samples that are sensitive to metal ions, an optimum column that takes adsorption into consideration is required. The Shim-pack series of columns is ideal for the analysis of a wide variety of biopolymers. In addition, adsorption of target analytes in the sample vial can greatly affect the analysis and requires special attention. Shimadzu offers the TORAST-H Bio Vial, a low-adsorption PP vial, e.g., for peptide drug research, and TORAST-H low-adsorption glass vials as a general-purpose option.

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