Dionex IonPac TCC Series, Product Manual

Page: 8 / 18

IonPac TCC-LP1, TCC-ULP1, and TCC-XLP1
Product Manual Page 7 of 17
Doc. No. 034973-06 ©2005 DIONEX September 2005
3. OPERATION
3.1. Sample Loading
WARNING
Always use the high pressure pulse damper (Dionex P/N 043945) after the DQP pump or DXP pump
to ensure the concentrator column does not get exposed to pump pulsations. It is possible to damage
the resin when exposed to high pump pulsations.
WARNING
To prevent overloading the TCC-LP1, TCC-ULP1, or TCC-XLP1, and/or loss of sample analytes,
determine the concentration linearity over the desired analytical concentration range. See Section
3.4.1, “Capacity Consideration of Concentrators.”
Sample loading can be performed manually with a < 3 mL syringe. It takes approximately 1 minute to manually inject 3 mL
of sample through the TCC-LP1.
Alternately, you can use a separate positive displacement pump such as the Dionex DQP pump (P/N 035250). When using a
pump, ensure that a high pressure damper is used. Pump flow rates of approximately 3 mL/min can be used while
maintaining sample concentration efficiencies high enough to ensure good quantification.
WARNING
The flow direction during the concentration step is critical. In order to ensure optimal system
performance, it is recommended that concentration always be performed in a back flush manner.
After the sample has been loaded onto the TCC-LP1, TCC-ULP1, or TCC-XLP1 in the direction opposite to the eluent flow,
it is then “back flushed” with eluent onto the guard and analytical columns (see Figure 4, “Loading the TCC-LP1, TCC-
ULP1, or TCC-XLP1 Column”). This configuration concentrates the cations in a tight band at the bottom of the TCC
columns. When injected, all of the ions are rapidly eluted off of the TCC columns, and onto the guard and analytical
columns. If the sample is loaded onto the TCC-LP1, TCC-ULP1, or TCC-XLP1 in the same flow direction as the eluent
flow, the cations are concentrated at the head of the column rather than at the bottom. When injected, the cations begin
chromatographic separation on the concentrator before reaching the guard and analytical columns. Therefore, the retention
time of the analytes would be significantly longer than a standard loop injection. Normally the function of the concentrator is
to strip the ions of interest from the sample matrix and not to act as an analytical column.