High‐Throughput Approach to 2‐Dimensional Fingerprinting of Complex Mixtures such as Beverages

Abstract

A combination of two or more analytically orthogonal separation modes not only multiplies their differentiation powers but may reveal some new relationships in complex molecular distributions, thus providing analytical information that individual separation dimensions could not deliver. The resulting multidimensional chromatogram may serve as a very sensitive differentiator of complex mixtures. Such a “fingerprint” can be linked to certain application relevant characteristics that are difficult to measure directly, including sensory parameters like taste and smell. Many traditional fields of industry, such as food, chemicals, and materials, could benefit from the power of multidimensional separations. However, lack of ready to go instrumental solutions, long analysis times, and overwhelming data streams, contribute to the relatively slow penetration of the 2‐D HPLC and similar separation technology into the industrial and routine analysis labs. In this paper, we report on a high‐throughput and low cost per analysis approach to the two‐dimensional separations of complex samples. It is based on the ion‐exchange fractionation using the 96‐well plate followed by the reversed‐phase HPLC profiling by an eight channel capillary HPLC instrument. Fingerprinting of common beverages is shown and discussed as an example, with a much broader applicability in mind.

Keywords:

• High‐throughput analysis
• Multidimensional separation
• 2‐D Chromatography
• Parallel HPLC
• Fingerprinting
• Molecular distribution
• Food analysis