Application Note: Environmental Applications Of The Agilent 1290 Infinity UHPLC: The Evolution Of Chromatography

By E. Michael Thurman and Imma Ferrer, Center for Environmental Mass Spectrometry, Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Colorado

This application note presents examples of the use of UHPLC (ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography) for environmental applications using the new Agilent 1290 Infinity LC. The examples include wastewater analysis of pharmaceuticals with focus on EPA Method 1694 and the way that UHPLC makes this analysis more efficient and reliable. The second example will show that complex mixtures of pesticides may be analyzed with fast chromatography, opening the door for many types of UHPLC analyses for environmental applications. Finally, an example will show a 60-sec analysis of pharmaceuticals in wastewater using UHPLC and a ballistic gradient, which is one of the first examples in environmental analysis. The insights of efficient UHPLC analysis are discussed and illustrated.