ACQUITY UPC2

An essential separations technique for your laboratory

UltraPerformance Convergence Chromatography™ (UPC^2®) is a broad-based, complementary analytical platform that is taking its place alongside of LC and GC as one of the three essential separation technologies for modern laboratory analysis. 

There are three main forms of chromatography: GC, LC, and now convergence chromatography (CC). While all three use a stationary phase to interact with compounds of interest and a mobile phase to move compounds through the stationary phase and achieve separation, the techniques differ mainly by the mobile phases used. 

GC is defined by using a gas as its mobile phase, LC is defined by using liquids as its mobile phase, and CC is defined by using both gas and liquids. It is this convergence of mobile phases in combination with a far greater choice of stationary phases that makes CC a powerful additional choice for laboratory scientists. 

Orthogonality you can rely on

A major concern of scientists in regulated industries is that impurity, degradation peaks, or structurally similar compounds may be overlooked. Orthogonal methods that provide different elution orders of peaks are needed to ensure full characterization and that nothing is overlooked. Having a second technology platform that can routinely provide reliable orthogonal data is proving to be a strong driver for UPC² adoption. 

Simplified workflow

When reversed-phase chromatography was introduced, scientists moved quickly away from normal-phase chromatography. Among the advantages that reversed-phase chromatography offers are ruggedness and reliability, as well as the power of gradient elution for rapid method development, these capabilities significantly improve workflow and were not possible with normal-phase LC. 

Reversed-phase LC, however requires sample injection in water-compatible solvent which can mean hours (sometimes days) worth of repeated extractions and dry-down processes.  As the diversity of samples increased so too did the time to do sample prep. All the workflow benefits of reversed-phase chromatography were being eroded.

Because UPC² can receive samples in organic solvents, it significantly simplifies the requirements for sample preparation, while maintaining all the advantages of RPLC. 

The greatest business impact we can deliver – to any customer – is to simplify their workflow. With the ACQUITY^® UPC² System, the impact on workflow starts with the time saved in sample preparation; add in the time saved in analysis and data interpretation, and you have a complete measurement for a faster route to answers.  

That’s why the ACQUITY UPC² System is taking its place alongside LC and GC in analytical laboratories.