Compact Capillary LC for the Analysis of Samples with Complex Matrices

Capillary liquid chromatography possesses several benefits when compared to conventional analytical-scale LC. Capillary columns require lower flow rates to reach similar linear velocities, which in turn minimizes solvent consumption, making the technique more green. When designing compact LC instrumentation for point-of-need analysis, this reduction in mobile phase consumption and overall column size aids in miniaturization. There are additional benefits for pairing the technique with mass spectrometry detection – the lower flow rates increase sensitivity and can be coupled directly to electrospray ionization, whereas larger columns often require a flow splitter to reduce the flow beforehand. LC-MS is a powerful technique for analyzing clinical samples, but traditional instrumentation is too large and too complex to be readily used at the point-of-need. Sending samples for analysis at an external laboratory can be expensive and introduce time delays to the process, hindering the ability to rapidly make clinical decisions. This project leverages the benefits of capillary LC through a portable instrument in order to improve targeted analysis of relevant small molecule biomarkers and metabolites in complex biological matrices. This will enable point-of-need testing that is both affordable and accessible, in addition to reducing the environmental impact of the measurement.