Poor Peak Resolution - Waters 2410 Operator's Manual

7.2.3 Poor Peak Resolution

Before you address problems with peak resolution, be certain that peaks elute at the correct
retention time. The most common causes of poor peak resolution can also appear as retention time
problems.
If peak retention times are correct, determine if poor resolution occurs:
• Throughout the chromatogram
• At a single peak pair
If efficiency of early peaks is poor, extra-column band broadening, such as autoinjector or guard
column failure, may be at fault. If peak efficiency is poor throughout the chromatogram,
post-column band-broadening or loss of column efficiency may be the cause.
If only one peak in a chromatogram is badly-shaped, the peak component may be interacting with
the column through a chemical mechanism different from the components in the other peaks. To
troubleshoot this resolution problem, you need an understanding of the separation chemistry.
Use Table 7-3 to troubleshoot peak resolution problems that may be affecting your results.
Chromatography Troubleshooting
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