Agilent launches world's fastest LC system

The 1200 series aims to carry on where the 1100 series left off having established the leading position within a market said to currently stand at $2 billion,(€1.7 billion).

The Rapid Resolution System provides up to 20 times faster analysis and 60 per cent higher resolution than conventional LC, making it twice as fast and three times as precise as the competition's best systems.

A feature of the technology is the inclusion of a special high-throughput configuration, which allows sequential execution of more than 2000 samples per day on a single system.

The system also features more than 70 new Rapid Resolution High Throughput (RRHT) columns and a new high-performance pump that can handle flow rates from 0.05-5ml/min and up to 600bar pressure.

A new high-performance degasser, autosampler, column compartment and UV and MS detectors has been included as well.

The system can also be optimised for highest speed and resolution in both LC/UV and LC/MS applications.

Fred Strohmeier, general manager of liquid phase analysis for Agilent's life science and chemical analysis business, told www.in-pharmatechnologist.com​: "To protect customer investments, Agilent has made the 1200 reverse-compatible with the 1100."​

"Customers can combine new and existing modules, and can continue using existing methods without costly new method development, revalidation or retraining of operators."​

Agilent has further enhanced its backwards compatibility providing an 1100 Emulation Mode for customers using non-Agilent software until third-party software upgrades are available.

The system features more than 70 new Rapid Resolution High Throughput (RRHT) columns and a new high-performance pump that can handle flow rates from 0.05-5ml/min and up to 600bar pressure.

It also features a new high-performance degasser, autosampler, column compartment and UV and MS detectors.

Since introducing the 1100 series instrument in 1995, Agilent has sold more than 400,000 modules, or roughly 60,000 LC systems, making it the most popular LC in the industry.

Used by more than 250,000 customers worldwide in applications from forensics to food safety, pharmaceuticals and protein research, LC is a measurement technology used to separate, identify, quantify and purify compounds.

LC technology is often used in conjunction with a mass spectrometer (LC/MS - a $1.3 billion market that is growing by 9 per cent annually) to achieve higher resolution and identification of compounds by their mass and electrical charge.

The pharmaceutical industry is a major user of Agilent LC and LC/MS systems. Liquid Chromatography plays an important role in the entire life cycle of a drug, from drug discovery and development to manufacturing and quality assurance/quality control. It enables scientists to quickly screen, purify and assess drug candidates, and is necessary to meet good manufacturing standards imposed by regulatory agencies.

Indeed, a growing opportunity for LC and LC/MS is in the isolation, purification and identification of proteins in a particular cell (e.g. a tumour cell) or body fluid. Such research may lead to better diagnostics and treatments for common diseases such as cancer.