HPLC Troubleshooting - Tailing Peaks

If your chromatography has recently started to demonstrate tailing peaks; this could be related to common causes described below.

Causes	Solutions
Secondary interactions	- For bases increase pH (as permitted); for acids decrease pH; increase ionic strength of buffer (as permitted); change column type.
Dead volume	- Reconnect the column with the fitting to reduce dead volume.
Column degradation	- Replace the column.
Column void	- Fill void (previous performance unlikely to be fully recovered).
Interfering peak	- Use a longer column; further method development.
Wrong mobile phase pH	- Adjust pH (2 clear pH units from pKa recommended).
Sample chelating to active sites	- Limit interaction via ion pair reagent, modifier or sequester agent, change column or post injector wettable flow-path.
Inadequate buffering	- Use 50-100 mM buffer concentration (UV methods).
Sample loading	- Reduce sample concentration.