HPLC Troubleshooting Course - Quiz

Thank you for participating in our Online Liquid Chromatography Troubleshooting Course! To receive your completion certificate, test your knowledge with the quiz below. The passing score is 75% of the total available points.

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* 1. How should you approach troubleshooting?

Wait until someone else is available to sort out the problem

Investigate all possible problems to save time

A logical, systematic approach

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* 2. How many data points are required to describe a peak?

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* 3. What information should be recorded to assist with troubleshooting? Multiple answers possible.

How and when mobile phases were prepared

Column details

LC characteristics (including dwell volume, dispersion, autosampler reproducibility and typical pressures)

All of the above

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* 4. How many column volumes are required to properly equilibrate the column in reversed phase chromatography?

100

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* 5. Look at the figure below. The retention time has increased, and the pressure trace shows random drops. The peak areas remain consistent. What is the most likely problem?

Sample has gone off

Air in the pump

Incorrect mobile phase

Oven temperature fluctuations

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* 6. There is a change in sensitivity between two injections. It is thought the issue lies with the Autosampler. Tick all the possible investigations and solutions to assess the injector.

Use a system suitability sample to determine if there is an issue with dispensing a prescribed volume

Check the batch details to ensure the correct volume was programmed

Purge the injector metering pump

Increase needle and loop flushing protocols to ensure no carryover

Inject sample six times to calculate the accuracy and %RSD

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* 7. Which of these causes is NOT usually a reason for peak fronting?

Column degradation

Mobile phase / sample diluent incompatibility

Secondary interactions

Sample overload

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* 8. What is the name given to peaks which randomly appear in the chromatogram and don’t belong to the sample?

Annoying peaks

Ghost peaks

Phantom peaks

Pesky peaks

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* 9. What should your reversed phase C18, stainless steel column be stored in to prolong the lifetime of the column (unless otherwise stated by manufacturer guidelines)?

100% water

100% methanol

50:50 v/v water/acetonitrile

Buffer

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* 10. Look at the figure below. The retention time, peak area and pressures are consistent between the two injections. The baseline, however, is not acceptable. What is the most likely cause?

Blocked needle

Wrong flow rate in the method

Weak detector lamp

Sample degradation

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* 11. 1. What has caused the problem in the below picture?

Buffer precipitation

Foam

Organic leak

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* 12. What are common causes of increased back pressure? Select all correct answers.

Blocked column or guard

Blockage in the system

A leak

Decreased flow rate

Change in detector settings

HPLC Troubleshooting Course - Quiz

Question Title

* 1. How should you approach troubleshooting?

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* 2. How many data points are required to describe a peak?

Question Title

* 3. What information should be recorded to assist with troubleshooting? Multiple answers possible.

Question Title

* 4. How many column volumes are required to properly equilibrate the column in reversed phase chromatography?

Question Title

* 5. Look at the figure below. The retention time has increased, and the pressure trace shows random drops. The peak areas remain consistent. What is the most likely problem?

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* 6. There is a change in sensitivity between two injections. It is thought the issue lies with the Autosampler. Tick all the possible investigations and solutions to assess the injector.

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* 7. Which of these causes is NOT usually a reason for peak fronting?

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* 8. What is the name given to peaks which randomly appear in the chromatogram and don’t belong to the sample?

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* 9. What should your reversed phase C18, stainless steel column be stored in to prolong the lifetime of the column (unless otherwise stated by manufacturer guidelines)?

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* 10. Look at the figure below. The retention time, peak area and pressures are consistent between the two injections. The baseline, however, is not acceptable. What is the most likely cause?

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* 11. 1. What has caused the problem in the below picture?

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* 12. What are common causes of increased back pressure? Select all correct answers.

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* 13. Full Name

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* 14. Email address

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* 15. Company / Institution