The HPLC & LC-MS Clinic

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Course summary

  • Duration: 2 days for face-to-face | Total of 14.5 hours for Virtual Classroom course
  • Experience level: Advanced
  • Course type: Universal, applicable to all instrumentation
  • Teaching method: Face-to-face OR online via live video, with case studies to solve & chromatograms to troubleshoot
  • RSC CPD approval: Approved for CPD
  • Scheduled course venue: The Open University | Other venues | Virtual Classroom
  • Online/onsite/in-house/offsite availability: Arrange this course just for you
  • Scheduled course price: £750 + VAT per delegate
  • Course discount: RSC and CAMS members receive a discount on this course*

Course approval

Royal Society of Chemistry approved training logo

This course has been approved by the Royal Society of Chemistry for purposes of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

The HPLC & LC-MS Clinic is often taken as a follow-on course from the Practical Essentials of HPLC & LC-MS, either during the same week or at a later stage, and together they form the Complete HPLC & LC-MS course.

What will you learn on this course?

First, the course examines the method development process in detail; covering the objectives of analytical method development, how many components to be separated and the required sensitivity, selectivity, specificity and the speed of analysis. This is followed by system optimisation and configuration for HPLC and LC-MS. All of this knowledge is then put to the test in case studies.

The course then looks at method validation protocols, system suitability and outlines the steps required for analytical method accreditation.

The last part of the course covers a brief introduction to some advanced techniques that can be used for difficult or complex samples including detector selectivity and specificity, UHPLC vs. HPLC (brief introduction to method transfer), chromatographic peak deconvolution using tandem mass spectrometry, multi-dimensional LC (LCxLC), on-line SPE and chemometrics.

On the second day the course looks at clean-up procedures for difficult samples. The parts of the HPLC & MS system requiring maintenance, how often and how to identify when maintenance is required are then covered in detail.

Following on from this, we look at preparing for problems, how to identify problems and the troubleshooting process.  This knowledge, along with the basic knowledge of HPLC & LC-MS acquired in the Practical Essentials of HPLC & LC-MS course are then put to the test in a practical exercise on troubleshooting chromatograms through the final part of the day. 

Learning outcomes

  • You will learn strategies for HPLC & LC-MS method development.
  • You will learn about system optimisation and configuration for HPLC and LC-MS.
  • You will get an introduction to HPLC & LC-MS advanced techniques.
  • You will learn to recognise areas requiring maintenance on the instrument.
  • You will learn the logical steps of instrument troubleshooting.
  • You will troubleshoot problematic chromatograms.

Who is this course for?

If you have reasonable liquid chromatography experience, or have attended the Practical Essentials of HPLC & LC-MS course, then please join us for this advanced training.

If you would like to improve your knowledge in a particular area and don't want to attend the full course you can choose to attend individual days or modules from The HPLC & LC-MS Clinic course.

Individual Modules - Virtual Classroom training

For Virtual Classroom training, you can choose to attend the individual modules from this course:

How to book this course


Feedback from previous attendees of Virtual Classroom course

"The fact that it covered a lot of topics and allowed to review and learn a little bit of everything that involves the use of these type of techniques and equipments."  July 2021.

"Brilliant, very informative."  Mollie Nero, Project Scientist, Broughton Nicotine Services (February 2021).

"Section on troubleshooting and method development was very good, instructor was very knowledgeable. Content was clear and easy to follow."  November 2020.

Feedback from previous attendees of Face-to-Face course

"Professional, high quality delivery, keep track on time. My previous experience with HPLC courses is not as great as to time and quality."   (May 2019).