Packing for efficiency

In order that the purification process and the final product are robust and secure, it is vital that chromatography columns are properly packed and qualified in a reasonable time frame.

A well-packed column is essential to achieve
  • maximum efficiency;
  • high product yield;
  • purity.
It is important that a homogeneous packed bed is used every time a separation is performed. 

Irregularities in packing can create an uneven flow within the bed, resulting in
  • band broadening;
  • lower yield;
  • and it can subsequently affect the purity of the product. 
 

Essentially, a column that is poorly packed can lead to expensive process disruptions and ultimately, loss of a valuable product. 

In these short instructions, methods for packing both Praesto® AP and Praesto® Jetted A50 are described. Methods for packing laboratory scale up to small process scale (20 cm diameter) columns are detailed below in the two documents.

Praesto Chromatography Resin Column Packing

 

At process scale the column designs are robust, and commercially available resins come with well-designed packing methods to achieve the most efficiently packed columns for process purification.  Alternatively, pre-packed formats can be purchased from most resin manufacturer’s, negating the impact of irregularities in packing for the end user.

 

However, at the process development stage on laboratory scale, the design of the column used and packing approach can significantly impact the results of screening evaluations. A resin cannot be truly evaluated if not packed efficiently.

In the short investigation below, we have evaluated two of the most common formats used to pack columns at small scale; GE Healthcare Tricorn
and Kinesis Omnifit® columns.

Laboratory Scale Columns for Performance Screening

         GE Healthcare Tricorn versus Kinesis Omnifit®