DB-FFAP

DB-FFAP Column

WAX GC Columns

Agilent J&W DB-FFAP is a high-polarity nitroterephthalic-acid-modified polyethylene glycol (PEG) column designed specifically for the analysis of volatile fatty acids, phenols, and other strongly acidic or highly polar compounds. The acid-modified PEG phase provides enhanced inertness, reducing adsorption and peak tailing that are common with reactive analytes on standard WAX phases.

DB-FFAP delivers excellent resolution and retention-time stability for low–molecular-weight acidic volatiles, making it well suited for food analysis, environmental testing, flavor and fragrance profiling, and industrial QC workflows. Its selectivity enables precise separation of short-chain fatty acids, aromatic acids, substituted phenols, and related polar species that challenge many other stationary phases.

As a close equivalent to USP phase G35 and a modern replacement for OV-351, DB-FFAP offers improved thermal stability, lower bleed characteristics, and greater batch-to-batch reproducibility. These enhancements support high-quality, repeatable results in both GC and GC/MS applications requiring robust high-polarity selectivity.

Key Definitions ▸
FFAP (Free Fatty Acid Phase)
A specially acid-modified polyethylene glycol stationary phase designed to improve inertness for carboxylic acids, reducing adsorption and enhancing peak symmetry for acidic analytes.
Nitroterephthalic Acid Modification
A chemical treatment used to enhance PEG phase inertness, enabling accurate analysis of volatile fatty acids and phenols without excessive adsorption or tailing.
Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs)
Short-chain carboxylic acids such as acetic, propionic, and butyric acids that are commonly analyzed in food, environmental, and biochemical applications using FFAP-type columns.
USP Phase G35 Equivalence
Indicates that DB-FFAP matches the selectivity of the USP-defined G35 stationary phase, making it suitable for compendial and regulated methods that require this specific chromatographic behavior.
OV-351 Replacement
DB-FFAP is designed as a modern replacement for the older OV-351 phase, providing improved thermal stability, lower bleed, and more reproducible performance across a broad analyte range.
Frequently Asked Questions ▸
What types of compounds are best analyzed on a DB-FFAP column?
DB-FFAP is optimized for volatile fatty acids, phenols, and other strongly acidic or highly polar analytes. Its acid-modified PEG chemistry provides excellent resolution and peak symmetry for compounds that typically adsorb or tail on standard WAX phases.
How does DB-FFAP differ from HP-FFAP or other WAX-type columns?
DB-FFAP uses nitroterephthalic-acid-modified PEG, while HP-FFAP uses a different acid-modified PEG formulation. Both are designed for acidic analytes, but DB-FFAP provides selectivity aligned with USP phase G35 and serves as a modern replacement for OV-351, with improved thermal stability and reproducibility compared to older PEG phases.
Can DB-FFAP be used for GC/MS applications?
Yes. DB-FFAP is suitable for GC/MS and offers lower bleed than many legacy acidic PEG phases. Its improved inertness enables stable baselines and strong sensitivity, even for challenging acidic analytes. It is often preferred when regulated or compendial methods require high-polarity acid-modified PEG selectivity.
Is DB-FFAP a drop-in replacement for OV-351?
Yes. DB-FFAP is designed as a modern replacement for OV-351, offering similar selectivity but greatly improved thermal stability, lower bleed, and higher reproducibility. This makes it suitable for updating legacy methods while maintaining comparable retention patterns.
Which industries commonly use DB-FFAP columns?
DB-FFAP is widely used in food and beverage testing, environmental monitoring, flavor and fragrance analysis, fermentation profiling, and industrial QC workflows—any application requiring accurate measurement of volatile fatty acids or phenolic compounds.