Waters has introduced the new Acquity UPLC M-Class System, an industry-first nano- to microscale UltraPerformance LC system rated for 15,000 psi operation.

Coupled to Waters mass spectrometers, the system delivers the sensitivity to quantify and to identify vanishingly small concentrations of key molecules. It is ideally suited for a broad range of applications including proteomics, metabolic profiling, metabolite identification and pharmacokinetic studies. Its new 15k psi-capable columns tap the potential of sub-2-micron particle technology, yielding faster separations, greater peak capacities and increased levels of sensitivity.

The system was introduced at WCBP 2014 Symposium, a conference with a focus on analytical methods for biotechnology pharmaceuticals. Waters expects to commence shipments of the new system in the current fiscal quarter.

"When scientists engaged in proteomics or investigating new biopharmaceuticals discuss with us they often highlight the need to  quantify and identify incredibly small amounts of key molecules usually in the presence of much higher amounts of other molecules. This is difficult work without the appropriate tools. With the Acquity UPLC M-Class System, they will have the capability to peer into the unseen and achieve their research goals," said Art Caputo, president, Waters Division.

"As an LC inlet to mass spectrometers, the Acquity UPLC M-Class System empowers more scientists to reliably employ microscale chromatography in order to solve their most complex analytical challenges,” he added.

Nano-to-microscale LC is defined by flow rates of 200 nL/min. to 100 microliter/min. with columns having an internal diameter of up to 1.0 mm. The advantages include the conservation of sample and solvent, increased sensitivity and a flow rate compatible with high sensitivity electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS).

With the introduction of the Acquity UPLC M-Class System, Waters is introducing five new chromatographic columns with internal diameters ranging from 75 micron to 1.0 mm. They are: HSS T3 (1.8 micron, 100 angstrom pore size); BEH C18 (1.7 micron, 130 angstrom and 300 angstrom); BEH C4 (1.7 micron, 300 angstrom); and CSH C18 (1.7 micron, 130 angstrom); and Symmetry C18 (5 micron, 100 angstrom). Waters is complementing these new columns with a new line of 300 micron internal diameter steel columns packed with sub-2-micron particles.

For over five decades, Waters Corporation has created business advantages for laboratory-dependent organizations by delivering practical and sustainable innovation to enable significant advancements in such areas as healthcare delivery, environmental management, food safety, and water quality worldwide.

With revenue of $1.9 billion in 2013, the company is driving scientific discovery and operational excellence for customers worldwide.