Section 0


This section of the course is a "glossary" of words used in HPLC with a brief definition and links to more detailed discussion in the body of the course. The words are arranged alphabetically; you can navigate through this glossary sequentially by using the buttons at the bottom of each page, or you can click on a letter above to go directly to that page in the glossary. Any technology has its own "language", and HPLC is no exception. The language of HPLC consists of a combination of new, unfamiliar words and old, familiar words used in a very carefully defined way.
Complicating the issue is the fact that there are at least two "standard" sets of nomenclature for HPLC. ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) follow one standard, while the USP (United States Pharmacopoeia) follows a slightly different standard. Because LC Resources Inc. works primarily with clients in the pharmaceutical industry, we have generally followed the USP definitions, while pointing out the ASTM/IUPAC alternatives. In most cases, the differences are slight enough that there is little risk of confusion.
Finally, the definitions in this section are taken from a variety of materials that we at LC Resources use in our "live" training courses. Transferring this material to the web always involves the possibility of transcription errors, and I am a notoriously bad proofreader. If (when?) you find errors, please drop me a line (tom.jupille@lcresources.com) and I'll get them corrected as quickly as possible!