Does anyone distill mobile ACN and MeOH mobile phase solvents to imporve purity and reduce background?

Question

We intermittently (but quite often it feels) have issues with batches of acetonitrile and methanol (LC-MS grade) with impurities either causing background, or causing ion suppression. This can cause operational delays until we find a batch that is suitable. 
 Wondering if anyone distills and whether it would assist.

david_weil · Answer

hello Peter, 
 We don't here in Agilent but I do know of many customers that have gone to to the distilling. I have seen a lot of variation lately in the quality of organic mobile phase solvents. one thing you can do for the mobile phase solvents at least is to place a delay column PS EC-C18 4.6 x 50 mm column after the mixer and before the autosampler. This will delay impurities away from compounds in a sample . Of course this doesn't delay any impurities in samples in these solvents. Agilent does produce now Ultra clean methanol and acetontrile for LCMS. Reach out if you are still having problems.