Chromatography is often regarded as one of the harder techniques to master, especially when moving from a university laboratory to a commercial or private one. Training is typically provided, but laboratories are businesses and lab managers wear many, many hats—so time is of the essence.
As a leading global chromatography company, Phenomenex has had a front row seat to this knowledge gap. As a result, the company has launched PhenoAcademy, a free self-paced, practical step-by-step educational program designed to strengthen chromatography knowledge, research and troubleshooting skills.
“We love to search for trends within customer requests so that we can provide further assistance on a broader level,” said Erica Safan, Director in Customer Experience – Sales. “One thing we’ve seen is a lot of requests for help with basic chromatography skills. We have noticed that senior chromatographers are doing less hands-on work as they take on remote work or management positions, and we believe this has left a void in passing knowledge to newer scientists. PhenoAcademy was designed to fill that void.”
Designed by the Phenomenex Technical Support Team, a global team of experienced chromatographers, PhenoAcademy includes free educational webinars, training resources for lab managers, supportive materials such as guides, white papers and technical notes, and access to instruction and resources for learning and career advancement.
The current series is designed to teach the fundamentals for liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, and sample preparation through short but thorough courses. Students will then take a deeper dive into troubleshooting and method development, which are core skills for any scientist, regardless of the work they are performing. The step-by-step, self-paced nature of the program allows scientists to tackle one topic at a time, digest the information, test it out in their labs, then pick up another course to build upon that topic.
The program is designed not only for lab managers in need of resources to train staff members, but also for new graduates to get on-hands, practical learning of chromatography, researchers/analysts who need/want to advance their careers, and even science lovers interested in learning chromatography.
“Lab managers have an extremely challenging job. They are project managers, business leaders, scientists, purchasing agents, and trainers. The goal of PhenoAcademy is to provide knowledge that will allow scientists to better understand the purpose of the steps in their SOP’s, identify when a problem occurs, and perform or suggest basic troubleshooting solutions. Ultimately, we want to support lab managers by helping their scientists become more proficient and self-sufficient in the work they are performing,” said Safan.
Genevive Hodson, Technical Support Team Manager – Customer Support, agrees with Safan, but also noted the courses are designed for more than just training.
“We can’t forget our mature scientists and long-time partners,” the customer support experts said. “The world of chromatography is always evolving, and we strive to keep up with the most recent trends and technologies. We’ve designed our content to speak to both new and seasoned chromatographers with the goal that everyone learns something new when they attend a course.”
Course examples and best practices
One of the advantages of the PhenoAcademy is the ability to train with and seek knowledge/advice from experts in the field.
“The questions and conversations the Phenomenex Technical Support Team has had with customers were the inspiration for the content included in the courses,” says Hodson.
With a focus on LC, GC and Sample Preparation right now, scientists can enroll in courses such as:
- Measuring Peak Separation Quality
- HPLC Mobile Phases and Gradients
- A Guide to Building Your LC Method Development Kit Plus Tips on Storage and Care
- Knowing your Analyte Properties to Optimize Analysis
- Quechers Background and Updates
- Overview of Sample Preparation and Introduction to Filtration
While sample preparation can feel like a basic, routine task, it lies at the core of HPLC analyses. Running robust, accurate, and good analytical methods for HPLC and GC analysis relies greatly on good sample preparation.
According to Phenomenex experts, some best practices for sample preparation include:
1. Ensuring that all chemicals, reagents, and samples are handled properly
All chemicals, reagents, and samples should be handled carefully using methods that will prevent any contamination. An example is drawing out solvents from solvent bottles—it is a best practice to avoid using a pipette, which can be a point of contamination in the whole solvent bottle. Instead, pour the solvent directly into a beaker from the bottle.
2. Choose the glassware and solvents that best suit the needs of the method
Choosing the right glassware for sample preparation includes choosing volumetric flasks and pipettes that have higher tolerances and accuracy. Ensure the glassware is in good condition and that the volume markings are intact and clearly visible, to avoid any manual measurement errors.
3. Avoid mixing solvents in a volumetric flask
When mixing aqueous and non-aqueous solvents, their volumes can change. If you mix them in a volumetric flask, you may end up with an incorrect volume. Instead, it is better to mix the solvents in another beaker or flask and then measure out the correct volume using the volumetric flask.
4. Use techniques that are based on the concepts of kinetics and equilibrium
Precision is the key. Ensure that all samples are subjected to exactly the same sample preparation techniques. For example, each sample should be shaken long enough for partitioning to happen, then it must be left long enough to settle into equilibrium within each phase. A mechanical shaker is the best way to do this, as this introduces consistency in sample preparation. With this in mind, any sample preparation technique should be done with absolute precision. This includes QuEChERS, solid-phase extraction (SPE), solid-liquid-extraction (SLE), protein precipitation (PPT), liquid–liquid extractions (LLE), and head space analysis.
“We want to make chromatography both fun and approachable, it doesn’t need to be scary. Starting with the basics, such as terminology and theory, our goal is to build a foundational set of skills that scientists can be confident in,” concluded Hodson.