Showa Denko Shodex IC NI-424 User manual

ver.211109E
SHOWA DENKO K.K. (https://www.shodex.com/)
1
Operation Manual
Shodex

IC NI-424
（Please read this manual carefully to achieve the best and consistent column performance for a long time）
Important Handling Instructions
Caution! · Please consult the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) of reagents and solvents used with the column
and understand their proper handling methods to prevent potential health hazards or death
from occurring.
· Please wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as lab goggles and gloves
when handling organic solvents and acid and alkaline reagents. Avoid any direct physical
contact to prevent chemical injuries.
Before Using the Column
(1) Please visually inspect the package and outside of the column for any damage.
(2) Please check if product name and serial number written on the column package, column name tag, and
enclosed Certificate of Analysis (CoA) are matching and correct.
1. Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the Shodexproduct. ShodexIC NI-424 is a non-suppressor type ion
chromatography column. It is suitable for separation and analysis of anions in the environmental field.
2. Column Components
3. Column Specifications
Product
Code Product Name Column Size (mm) Particle
Size (μm)
Theoretical Plate Number
(Per Column)
I.D. Length
F6995243 IC NI-424 4.6 100 5 ≥5,000
F6709616 IC NI-G 4.6 10 5 (Guard Column)
Base Material : Spherical porous particles of polyhydroxymethacrylate modified with quaternary ammonium
group
Column Housing : SUS-316
Screw Type : Internally-threaded type No.10-32 UNF
Shipping Solvent : Aqueous Solution containing 8 mM 4-Hydroxybenzoic Acid + 2.8 mM Bis-Tris*1
+ 2 mM Phenylboronic Acid + 0.005 mM CyDTA*2
*1
Bis(2-hydroxyethyl)imino-tris-(hydroxymethyl) methane
*2
trans-1,2-Diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid

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4. Usable Conditions
Usable solvents are listed below.
(1) Acidic aqueous solutions such as 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, phthalic acid, and salicylic acid can be used.
(2) The standard eluent is an aqueous solution containing 8-mM 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 2.8-mM Bis-Tris, 2-mM
phenylboronic acid, and 0.005-mM CyDTA. Bis-Tris is used to adjust the pH. Phenylboronic acid improves
the separation of phosphate and fluoride ions. CyDTA is added to eliminate the influence of metal ions eluted
from the system tubings. Please refer to section 5. Eluent Preparation for how to prepare the standard eluent.
(3) Elution time and elution order of analytes can be adjusted by changing the eluent concentration and pH,
eluent type, etc.
(4) Up to 10 % (v/v) acetonitrile or methanol can be added.
Attention! · Use the column within above stated flow rate, pressure, and temperature ranges. Using
the column outside the given range may damage the column and lower its performance.
· Under high-sensitive analyses, even a trace amount of impurities in 4-hydroxybenzoic acid
may appear as vacancy peaks on chromatograms, and thus it may affect the measurement.
To prevent the problem, recrystallization of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid is recommended. Below
is an example of recrystallization procedure.
(1) Add 10 g of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid little by little while heating and stirring 500 mL of
water.
(2) Stop heating and stirring when 4-hydroxybenzoic acid is completely dissolved and
becomes transparent (about 20 minutes). By leaving it at room temperature overnight,
needle-shaped crystals will form.
(3) Filter with a filter paper (No.5A), and wash the filter paper with 1-L water.
(4) Heat the filtrate to 150 °C, keep the temperature to let the solvent dry out (about 4 hrs).
* Melting point of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid: 215 °C
· An alkaline eluent with its pH 7 or higher is susceptible to pH changes by absorbing carbon
dioxide gas. Use of a carbon dioxide gas trap at the inlet of eluent container may reduce
the risk. However, it is better to use an acidic eluent which is less susceptible to pH
changes.
·Column pressure is influenced by the eluent composition, flow rate, and column
temperature. When changing the eluent compositions, adjust the flow rate and column
temperature so that the column pressure remains below the usable maximum pressure.
5. Eluent Preparation
(1) To prepare the standard eluent, weigh 1.105 g 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 0.586 g Bis-Tris, 0.244 g
phenylboronic acid, and 1.7 mg CyDTA. All reagents should be special grades. Transfer all into a 1-L
volumetric flask, and then add water to make 1 L. Use an ultrasonicator to completely dissolve the reagents.
(2) Degas the eluent fully to prevent the formation of air bubbles.
(3) Presence of small debris or insoluble substances may result in deterioration of the column and/or they appear
as noise on the chromatograms. Filter the eluent with a 0.45-μm disposable filter to prevent the problems.
Attention! · Whenever water is required, use ultra-pure water freshly generated by a water purification
system or water from a newly opened HPLC grade distilled water bottle. Use HPLC grade
organic solvent whenever possible. Solvents left in an opened bottle for a long time should
not be used. The content may have been changed, absorbed moisture, or has been
contaminated.
· Always use freshly prepared solvents. Solvents stored for a long time may have changed
their compositions and may influence elution patterns and/or damage the column.
Product Name
Flow Rate (mL/min) Maximum
Pressure (MPa)
(Per Column)
pH Range
Temperature (°C)
Recommen
ded Maximum Recomm ended Range
IC NI-424 1.0 1.2 6.0 2 - 11 40 20 - 60
IC NI-G ---

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Note · Use of on-line degasser is recommended.
6. Sample Preparation
(1) Filter the sample solution using disposable 0.45-μm filter to prevent the column from clogging or deteriorating.
(2) Recommended injection volume is 10 - 100 μL per column.
(3) For the samples containing proteins, remove the proteins prior to the sample injection. The use of an
ultrafiltration membrane is recommended.
(4) For the samples containing hydrophobic impurities, remove the impurities prior to the sample injection. The
use of a solid phase extraction is recommended.
Note · Use of guard column is recommended to protect the analytical column.
7. Column Usage Procedure
7.1 HPLC System Preparation
Wash entire LC system prior to the column installation, including all flow-lines and sample loop by switching the
valve, and then replace the washing solution with the eluent to be used. If desired new eluent has low
miscibility/solubility to the eluent of previous analysis, first use the eluent that is miscible/soluble to both eluents,
and then replace it with the desired eluent.
Attention! · If the eluent left in the system is not compatible with the column to be used, it may damage
the column.
· A drastic change in the eluent compositions may remove substances adsorbed on the
system and they may enter and deteriorate the column.
7.2 Column Installation
(1) Connect the column to LC system by following the “flow direction arrow” (➡) indicated on the column name
tag. If guard column is used, position the guard column in front (before the inlet) of the analytical column.
(2) Make sure to insert the tubing all the way to the end fitting and secure it with the male nut. It is important that
there is no extra space between the tubing and the column side of the end fitting. Presence of an extra space
will let the sample to spread out and may result in wide peaks.
(3) Set the initial flow rate at less than 0.5 mL/min and start the system. If using the column at an elevated
temperature, keep a low flow rate until the temperature of the column reaches to the set temperature, and
then gradually increase the flow rate to the desired.
Caution! · Verify that there is no solvent leak. It may cause electronic leakage, rust, and/or chemical
injury.
Attention! · Make sure not to let air bubbles enter the column while installing the column. The air
bubbles may damage the column.
· When restarting the system after column installation or after holding the eluent flow, start
the system at less than 0.5 mL/min. A rapid increase in pressure can damage the column.
· If the column was used at an elevated temperature, lower the flow rate to less than
0.5 mL/min at the end of analysis. Then, turn off the column oven, and let the column
temperature return to room temperature before stopping the pump. If the pump was
stopped while the eluent inside the column was still hot, as the eluent temperature
decreases, its volume also decreases. This may result in creating an empty space in the
column and deteriorates the column.

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Note · It is recommended to set the pump limiter to avoid exceeding the maximum pressure.
7.3 Solvent Exchange
When replacing the solvent, start the system at less than 0.5 mL/min. Recommended solvent volume to
introduce at each step is 3 to 5 times of the column volume.
7.4 Column Cleaning
Problems in peak shapes and elution time changes or elevated column pressure etc. are often caused by
insoluble or adsorbing components present in the eluent and reagents being deposited inside the column. These
problems may be resolved by cleaning the column.
If a guard column is used with the analytical column, first remove the guard column and check the performance
of the analytical column alone. If the problem is solved, most likely the cause is from the guard column. In this
case, clean the guard column.
If the problem is not solved by removing the guard column, clean both guard and analytical columns. Make sure
to clean the guard and the analytical columns separately. When washing the column, let the washing solution
flow from the column outlet go directly into the waste container and not let the solution go through the detector.
<Cleaning Method>
(1) Insoluble components that block the column inlet may be removed by reversing the flow direction, i.e.,
introducing the eluent from the column outlet, with flow rate at less than half of the recommended flow rate.
(2) Follow below cleaning steps for adsorbing components. For an efficient cleaning, reverse the flow direction.
Method 1: Adsorption of metal ions
Set the flow rate at 1.0 mL/min. Introduce 30 mL of 0.01-M aqueous tartaric acid solution (pH 3 - 4 adjusted by
0.1-M sodium hydroxide).
Method 2: Adsorption of protein
Set the flow rate at 0.2 mL/min. Introduce 30 mL of 20 % (v/v) aqueous acetic acid solution followed by 30 mL
of water.
Method 3: Adsorption of organic compounds
Set the flow rate at 0.2 mL/min. Introduce 30 mL of acetonitrile/water = 10/90 followed by 30 mL of water.
Attention! ·Keeping the washing solution in the column for a long time will lead to the column
deterioration. Please replace the washing solution with the eluent immediately after
cleaning.
8. Column Storage
Remove the column from the system after replacing the in-column solvent with the shipping solvent. Securely
tighten the end caps and store the column at a location with stable temperature (a cool and dark space is
recommended). Refer to section 7.3 Solvent Exchange for how to replace the eluent.
Attention! · Never allow inside of the column to dry. It can damage the column.

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9. Column Inspection
Inspection method is described in the Certificate of Analysis (CoA).
Theoretical Plate Number (N) and Asymmetry Factor (Fas) were calculated using the below equations.
(1) Theoretical Plate Number (N)
(2) Asymmetry Factor (Fas)
10. Additional Warnings
(1) Do not remove end fittings.
(2) Do not make a strong impact on the column. Do not drop or hit the column on a hard surface.
Refer to the Shodex™ website (https://www.shodex.com/) for product details and their applications.
For additional assistance, contact the distributor from whom you purchased the column or contact your regional
Shodexsupport office (https://www.shodex.com/en/support_office/list/).

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11. Warranty (Ver. 4COLUMN)
(1) Showa Denko K. K. warrants that the Shodexproduct, at the time of delivery to the user, will conform to
the specification of the attached CERTIFICATE OF ANALYSIS, if the Shodex product is used in accordance
with the attached operating manual. The foregoing warranty is exclusive and is in lieu of all other warranties
with respect to the Shodex product, whether written, oral, implied, statutory or otherwise. No warranties by
Showa Denko K. K. are implied or otherwise created, including, but not limited to, the warranty of merchantability
and fitness for particular purposes.
(2) Any claim of inconformity to the specification must be notified to Showa Denko K.K. within ten (10) days after
delivery to the user. User’s exclusive remedy and Showa Denko K.K.‘s exclusive liability for such claim are
limited to the replacement of the Shodex product in question. In no event is Showa Denko K.K. liable for any
indirect, incidental or consequential damage arising out of in connection with the Shodex product, whether or
not such damage is allegedly based on breach of warranty, negligence or otherwise.
(3) No warranty is made in any of the following cases:
3-1 If the Shodex product is not used in accordance with the operating manual
3-2 If the Shodex product is remodeled by anyone other than person or firm designated by Showa Denko K.K.
3-3 If the Shodex product is disposed of
3-4 If the Shodex product is resold by the user without giving prior written notice to Showa Denko K.K.
3-5 If the performance of the Shodex product is not conform to the specification of the attached CERTIFICATE
OF ANALYSIS due to any of the reasons below:
a. Computer virus
b. Impurities contained in the sample, reagent, gas air or cooling water provided by the user
c. Breakdown or malfunction of equipment, apparatus or component used in combination with the Shodex
product
d. Force majeure such as fire, earthquake, flood, other natural disaster, crime, riot, act of terrorism, war or
radioactive contamination
(4) In no event is Showa Denko K.K. liable for
4-1 the results of analysis or preparations using the Shodex product or any portion of the same, including, but
not limited to, the reliability, accuracy, efficacy and safety of said results, and
4-2 the occupational hazard in the use of the Shodex product, whether or not such use is made in accordance
with the attached Conditions for use.
(5) The Shodex product is for laboratory use only. It must not be used for clinical diagnosis. Showa Denko K.K.
is not liable for any use of the Shodex product except laboratory use.
Following names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SHOWA DENKO K.K.
Shodex, AFpak, Asahipak, AXpak, CLNpak, CXpak, HILICpak, MSpak, ODP, OHpak,
ORpak, RSpak, SUGAR, USPpak.
Products described in the operation manual are not intended for medical use or medical applications.