DB-624 Ultra Inert

DB-624 Ultra Inert

DB-624 Ultra Inert (UI) GC Columns

Agilent J&W DB-624 Ultra Inert (UI) columns are engineered for fast, accurate, and highly sensitive analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) across pharmaceutical, environmental, food, flavor, and industrial chemical applications. As the Ultra Inert evolution of the industry standard DB-624, this column delivers the same trusted mid-polarity selectivity with dramatically improved inertness and lower bleed—making it an excellent choice for GC and GC/MS workflows requiring high precision and reliable quantitation.

Built on a 6% cyanopropyl/phenyl, 94% polydimethylsiloxane stationary phase, DB-624 UI closely matches USP Phase G43 and provides optimized separation for complex VOC mixtures, solvents, residuals, and trace-level contaminants. This polarity profile supports excellent retention and resolution for a wide range of analytes, from light volatiles to moderately polar compounds, making it versatile across multiple regulated and industry-specific methods.

Agilent’s proprietary Ultra Inert deactivation process minimizes active sites on the column surface, protecting fragile volatile compounds from adsorption and peak distortion. The result is sharper peak shapes, improved signal-to-noise ratios, enhanced mass spectral integrity, and significantly greater sensitivity—especially important for low-level VOCs and complex sample matrices used in environmental monitoring, USP <467> residual solvent testing, and trace impurity profiling.

With bonded and cross-linked phase chemistry, DB-624 UI provides excellent thermal stability and is solvent rinsable for extended column life. Whether used for routine screening or high-precision regulatory testing, DB-624 Ultra Inert offers the consistent selectivity, rugged durability, and enhanced sensitivity required for modern VOC analysis by GC and GC/MS.

Key Definitions ▸
Ultra Inert (UI) Deactivation
Agilent’s advanced deactivation technology that eliminates active sites on the column surface. UI treatment improves peak shape, enhances recovery of reactive volatiles, and increases sensitivity for low-level VOCs in GC and GC/MS analyses.
6% Cyanopropyl/Phenyl – 94% Polydimethylsiloxane Phase
A mid-polarity stationary phase combining cyanopropyl and phenyl functionality with a predominantly dimethylpolysiloxane backbone. This composition supports strong VOC retention and is equivalent to USP Phase G43.
USP Phase G43
A United States Pharmacopeia designation for the stationary phase used in regulated VOC and residual solvent testing (e.g., USP <467>). DB-624 UI is a direct equivalent, supporting validated and compliance-driven workflows.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Organic chemicals with high vapor pressures that readily vaporize. DB-624 UI is optimized for VOCs in environmental monitoring, pharmaceutical residual solvents, food packaging analysis, and industrial chemical testing.
Solvent Rinsable
Indicates that the bonded and cross-linked stationary phase can be rinsed with appropriate solvents to remove residues from complex matrices. This helps maintain sensitivity and extend column lifetime in high-throughput VOC testing.
Frequently Asked Questions ▸
What types of applications are best suited for DB-624 Ultra Inert (UI) columns?
DB-624 UI is optimized for VOC analysis in pharmaceutical residual solvent testing (including USP <467>), environmental air and water monitoring, food packaging analysis, flavor and fragrance testing, and industrial chemical quality control. Its mid-polarity phase supports consistent retention and resolution of a wide range of volatile compounds.
How does the Ultra Inert version differ from the standard DB-624 column?
The Ultra Inert version includes a proprietary deactivation process that dramatically reduces active sites inside the column. This results in sharper peak shapes, improved analyte recovery, lower bleed, and higher sensitivity for trace-level VOCs compared with the standard DB-624 column.
Is DB-624 UI suitable for GC/MS analysis?
Yes. DB-624 UI’s ultra-low bleed and enhanced inertness make it highly compatible with GC/MS workflows, improving signal-to-noise ratios and maintaining high mass spectral integrity—even for very low-concentration VOCs and complex matrices.
What is the stationary phase composition of DB-624 UI?
DB-624 UI uses a 6% cyanopropyl/phenyl, 94% polydimethylsiloxane stationary phase, providing mid-polarity selectivity suitable for a wide range of VOCs. This phase is equivalent to USP Phase G43.
Can DB-624 UI be used for regulated methods such as USP <467>?
Yes. Because DB-624 UI is equivalent to USP Phase G43, it is fully appropriate for regulated VOC and residual solvent methods including USP <467> and other compendial analyses requiring precise detection of Class 1, 2, and 3 solvents.