This application compendium provides information on using high performance liquid chromatography/size exclusion chromatography (GPC/SEC) to analyze biodegradable polymers.
Biodegradation is a critical factor for materials used in drug delivery devices, temporary body structures like sutures, and environmentally friendly packaging. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), also known as size exclusion chromatography (SEC), is the key technique for determining molecular weight distribution to study these materials.
Agilent Technologies provides an extensive range of GPC/SEC columns, standards, and instruments suited for analyzing biodegradable polymers. The document presents examples using synthetic polymers like Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) and Polycaprolactam, as well as naturally-occurring polymers such as Natural rubber and Cellulosic polymer.
| Column Efficiency (PLgel 5 ym MIXED-D) | >50,000 plates/meter |
|---|---|
| Molecular Weight Range (PLgel 5 ym MIXED-D) | up to 400,000 daltons |
| Column Efficiency (PL aquagel-OH 30) | >35,000 plates/meter |
GPC provides insight into the rate at which a material might degrade and reveals the presence of degraded polymer chains.
It is extensively used in the pharmaceutical industry for drug delivery applications.
The Agilent 380-ELSD and 385-ELSD evaporative light scattering detectors are recommended to avoid noisy baselines.