Reversed-phase chromatography of proteins with diphenyl-silica column and hydro-organic eluents containing two organic solvents.

High-performance liquid chromatography of proteins with silica bonded diphenyl stationary phase and hydro-organic mobile phases with linear gradient elution has been carried out with binary organic modifiers. The use of a mixture of 2-propanol and 1-butanol facilitated elution at total organic modifier concentrations significantly lower than with the use of 2-propanol alone. Furthermore higher protein recovery and retention of biological activity was obtained with the binary organic modifier because the increase in eluent strength with binary organic modifier was greater than that of the denaturing strength of the eluent. The use of a short, 3 cm long, column, relatively high flow-rates and steep gradients was also advantageous in attenuating protein denaturation. The results were interpreted within the framework of a theoretical treatment of the combined effect of the retention process and denaturation reaction simultaneously occurring in the column.