HPLC · 9 min read
What an HPLC system suitability failure is telling you
A tailing factor of 1.9 against a limit of 2.0 is a passing test and a failing column. How to read what an SST shows you before it fails.
Read the essayJune 23, 2026
— 01
When a method fails, the obvious fixes rarely work.
That's when I'm useful. I find the cause, and it's usually upstream of the instrument, which is the last place a lab checks. I also train your analysts to run the same diagnosis themselves. Pawliszyn-trained, 14 years across four sectors.
- University of Waterloo
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Pawliszyn lab
- 18 peer-reviewed papers
- 14 years in industry
— 02 / Who is this for
For labs and working analytical chemists
The method that has already cost your team two weeks, solved by someone still at the bench.
On-site and remote support for analytical labs, pharma QC teams, and CROs, plus hands-on HPLC and LC-MS training for your analysts.
See how I work →
A chemistry postdoc or recent graduate moving into industry? The workshops and CV workbook are over here.
— 03 / What I do
Consulting
A method that has failed and already been worked on. I find the cause, and it is usually upstream of the instrument.
See consultingTraining
Hands-on HPLC and LC-MS training for your team, on your own instruments. Your analysts learn to run the same diagnosis.
See trainingLab operations
Monitoring, calibration records, reagent stock and the audit trail. Independent help deciding what you need before anyone sells you a platform.
See lab operationsWorkshops
Technical workshops on method development and troubleshooting for working chemists. A separate career track runs for people moving into industry.
View workshops— 04 / From the writing
— 05 / How it starts
Most projects begin with a 30-minute call. You tell me the symptom or the goal, I tell you honestly whether I can help, what it would take, and what it would cost. No pitch, no obligation. If it's a fit, I send a written scope before any work begins.
Book a call