For ionizable compounds such as organic acids, best results were obtained recently with simultaneous optimization of %B and pH, regardless of ionic strength or temperature. Changes in the pH of eluent A, adjusted to bracket the pK-values of acids (works also for bases and zwitterions), help to understand changes in critical resolution values due to shifts in peak positions.

A new strategy for neutral compounds, contained in many phytopharmaceuticals, was presented at HPLC 2001 in Maastricht by Molnár and Schmidt. The systematic work with kava pyrones and three different organic modifiers, methanol, acetonitrile and 2-propanol, by simultanously changing gradient slope versus temperature or gradient slope versus pH reveals the true composition of such mixtures.

The analytical chemist is interested to learn more about the influence of the experimental parameters on the resolution, but can often only rely on experiments, he was able to carry out in a given time in a project. There are however often as many chances to improve resolution in the "unexpected" direction as by varying them in the "expected" way. The tools for understanding the method and discover all chances for improved selectivity are the different resolution maps.

DryLab is used in a study in which the linear solvent strength model of gradient elution is applied to estimate parameters of lipophilicity and acidity of a series of drugs and model chemicals.

Drylab G software has been used to optimize the reversed-phase HPLC separation of taxoids and co-extracted substances from yew. Two preliminary runs based on a linear gradient from 5 to 100% acetonitrile (ACN) in 20 or 60 min were shown to be satisfactory for optimization of resolution. The optimization experiments were performed on a purified extract fortified with taxoid standards. The identity and purity of the peaks were verified by use of photodiode-array detection. Agreement between simulated and experimental data was good. The optimized chromatographic system can be used for quantitative analysis of paclitaxel, cephalomannine, and 10-deacetylbaccatin in yew extracts.

Reversed-phase columns are widely used in assays based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). When such assays are repeated over time, it is often necessary to replace the column. In such cases, the selectivity of columns from different production batches may prove sufficiently variable to result in a failed separation. It is possible to compensate for differences in column selectivity by making small changes (adjustments) in separation conditions. The present paper describes an efficient procedure for choosing adjusted conditions and discusses its general applicability.