A two-dimensional LC (2D-LC) method, based on the work of Erni and Frei in 1978, was developed and coupled to an ion mobility-high-resolution mass spectrometer (IM-MS), which enabled the separation of complex samples in four dimensions (2D-LC, ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), and mass spectrometry (MS)). This approach works as a continuous multiheart-cutting LC system, using a long modulation time of 4 min, which allows the complete transfer of most of the first - dimension peaks to the second - dimension column without fractionation, in comparison to comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography. Hence, each compound delivers only one peak in the second dimension, which simplifies the data handling even when ion mobility spectrometry as a third and mass spectrometry as a fourth dimension are introduced. The analysis of a plant extract from Ginkgo biloba shows the separation power of this four-dimensional separation method with a calculated total peak capacity of more than 8700. Furthermore, the advantage of ion mobility for characterizing unknown compounds by their collision cross section (CCS) and accurate mass in a non-target approach is shown for different matrices like plant extracts and coffee. Graphical abstract Principle of the four-dimensional separation.
Online comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (online LCxLC) presents high peak capacity compared with one-dimensional liquid chromatography, and reasonable operation time compared with an offline or stop-flow mode. Among various combinations, coupling of two reversed-phase (RPxRP) columns generates a high peak capacity product rate. Its wide applicability made RPxRP a promising technique in separation of complex samples. This review discusses the practical considerations in development and application of an RPxRP system, including systematic investigation of column stationary phase chemistry, column combinations, mobile phase system, interface, gradient types, and achieving fast analysis in LCxLC. In addition, many efforts are given to methods that increase the fraction coverage because this is the main obstacle caused by the correlated separation mechanism in RPxRP.
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