FAQs — Hypersil GOLD HILIC Column
Q: What is the Hypersil GOLD HILIC column and what is it used for?
Hypersil GOLD HILIC is a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography HPLC column engineered to retain and separate polar analytes that are problematic using reversed-phase columns. It is designed for urea, amino acids, nucleosides, polar drug metabolites, and other highly hydrophilic analytes — compound classes that elute unretained near the void volume on standard C18 columns — while delivering improved sensitivity for MS detection and eliminating the need for ion-pair reagents or derivatization.
Q: How does Hypersil GOLD HILIC retain polar analytes that C18 cannot?
Hypersil GOLD HILIC operates in HILIC mode — where a water-enriched layer forms on the hydrophilic stationary phase surface under high-organic mobile phase conditions. Polar analytes partition into this water-enriched layer, generating retention that increases with analyte polarity — the opposite of reversed-phase HPLC. This mechanism retains highly hydrophilic compounds that have no affinity for the hydrophobic C18 surface.
Q: Why does Hypersil GOLD HILIC improve sensitivity for MS detection?
HILIC operation requires high-organic mobile phases — typically 80–95% acetonitrile. These high-organic conditions provide significantly more efficient desolvation in the ESI source compared to the predominantly aqueous mobile phases used in reversed-phase HPLC. More efficient desolvation leads to improved ionization efficiency, resulting in higher signal intensity for polar analytes in LC-MS and LC-MS/MS detection.
Q: What was demonstrated in the urea application chromatogram?
The application demonstrates Hypersil GOLD HILIC retaining urea — one of the most polar and hydrophilic organic molecules — with a sharp, well-retained peak using H₂O/MeCN (10:90) + 0.1% formic acid mobile phase at 0.6 mL/min, 30°C, 1 µL injection volume, with +ESI detection on a 5 µm, 150 × 4.6 mm column. All conditions are sourced directly from the manufacturer's application chromatogram legend.
Q: Is Hypersil GOLD HILIC compatible with LC-MS/MS detection?
Yes. Hypersil GOLD HILIC is specifically noted for improved sensitivity for MS detection. The high-organic HILIC mobile phase is fully compatible with positive and negative ESI ionization — the urea application chromatogram uses +ESI detection directly, confirming LC-MS compatibility without mobile phase switching or post-column modification.
Q: Does Hypersil GOLD HILIC require ion-pair reagents for polar analyte retention?
No. One of the key advantages of Hypersil GOLD HILIC is that it provides an alternative to ion-pair chromatography for polar analyte retention. Ion-pair reagents are incompatible with MS detection and add method complexity; Hypersil GOLD HILIC achieves polar analyte retention through the HILIC mechanism using simple volatile mobile phase additives (e.g., formic acid, ammonium formate) fully compatible with MS.
Q: What are the pore size, carbon load, and pH range of Hypersil GOLD HILIC?
Hypersil GOLD HILIC has a pore size of 175 Å, a carbon load of 6%, and a pH operating range of 2 to 8, as stated in the manufacturer's product literature. Always refer to the column care and use instructions supplied with your column for precise operating limits.
Q: What particle sizes are available for Hypersil GOLD HILIC?
Hypersil GOLD HILIC is available in three analytical particle sizes: 1.9 µm (UHPLC format), 3 µm (HPLC), and 5 µm (HPLC) — covering fast UHPLC methods through to standard analytical HPLC separations.
Q: What column lengths and internal diameters are available for Hypersil GOLD HILIC?
The 1.9 µm UHPLC format is available in 50–150 mm lengths in 2.1 mm ID only. The 3 µm format covers 30–150 mm lengths across 1.0, 2.1, 3.0, and 4.6 mm ID. The 5 µm format covers 50–250 mm lengths across 2.1, 3.0, and 4.6 mm ID. See the Variants & Ordering tab for the complete part number matrix.
Q: Is a guard column available for Hypersil GOLD HILIC?
Yes. Drop-in Guard cartridges (4/pk, 10 mm) are available for 3 µm columns in 1.0, 2.1, 3.0, and 4.6 mm ID, and for 5 µm columns in 2.1 and 4.6 mm ID. Uniguard Drop-in Guard Cartridge Holders are available: 851-00 (1.0 mm ID), 852-00 (2.1 mm / 3.0 mm ID), and 850-00 (4.6 mm ID).
Q: How does Hypersil GOLD HILIC compare to Accucore HILIC?
Both are designed for polar analyte retention in HILIC mode. Hypersil GOLD HILIC is built on fully porous silica particles (1.9, 3, 5 µm) with the Hypersil GOLD ultra-pure base-deactivated silica platform and a 6% carbon load. Accucore HILIC uses the 2.6 µm Fused Core (solid-core) particle architecture. The choice between them depends on whether Fused Core speed/efficiency or the Hypersil GOLD fully porous silica platform better suits the application workflow.
Q: Where can I buy Hypersil GOLD HILIC columns in Maharashtra?
Hypersil GOLD HILIC columns are available in Maharashtra through Subodh Trading Company, the authorized Thermo Fisher distributor for Maharashtra. Subodh Trading Company supplies genuine Thermo Fisher products with full warranty and Certificate of Analysis, serving laboratories across Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Solapur, Sangli, Kolhapur, Satara, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Nanded, Amravati, Akola, Latur, Ratnagiri, Thane, and all of Maharashtra. Contact: sales@subodhtrading.com.
Q: How do I obtain a Certificate of Analysis for my Hypersil GOLD HILIC column?
A Certificate of Analysis is available for every Hypersil GOLD HILIC column by part number and lot number from the Thermo Fisher CoA search portal at thermofisher.com. Subodh Trading Company can also assist customers in Maharashtra — email sales@subodhtrading.com with your purchase details or column lot number.