Empower Tip: Processing Methods

In this tip for Empower Chromatography Data System (CDS), we will continue our series on Processing Methods. In the last tip, we learned about working with Processing Methods when collecting 3D data with PDA and/or ACQUITY QDa. Tip 329.

In this tip, we will learn when to Process data with a Processing Method versus a Method Set. Depending on the type of data you are working with, the number of channels collected per channel, as well as what needs to be processed, will determine whether you can process the data with a Processing Method or require processing with a Method Set.

The first scenario is single-channel 2D data which will be processed with one Processing Method

A Sample Set was collected with single-channel UV data, and we want all injections to be processed in the same way.

STEP 2:

The Method Set displays the Instrument Method and the Processing Method in the Default Processing Method field.

The Instrument Method displays single channel TUV@ 280nm was collected and nothing else.

We can process the Sample Set in 1 of 3 ways which all will produce the same set of Results:

With the Acquisition Method Set

With a Specified Method Set where we select the Method Set that was used to collect the data

With the Processing Method specified in the Method Set

The next scenario is multi-channel 2D data.

In addition to the TUV channel, we have enabled the System Pressure for the Binary Solvent Manager (BSM) to be collected with every injection.

If we process the Sample Set with the Method Set as shown in figure 2, then both the TUV and System Pressure channel will be processed. Since the System Pressure channel is typically used as a diagnostic, we may only want to process the TUV channel. Therefore, we can select the TUV channel and the appropriate Processing Method in the channel table of the Method Set.

We have now enabled a second TUV channel to be collected with every injection. If we need to process each channel with its own specified Processing Method, this can be done by selecting each channel and its associated Processing Method into the channel table of the Method Set.

The same would hold true if we were collecting multichannel data from different detectors such as UV and RI.

These scenarios could be processed either with the Acquisition Method set or a Specified Method Set provided that the Method Set is set up as per the figures.

What if I wanted to process some Injections with one Processing Method and other Injections with a different Processing Method?

I could create a Sample Set Method with 2 Method Sets, each with its own Processing Method. In this way I could process with the Acquisition Method Set and Empower would follow the instructions from the Sample Set Method.

The last scenario is working with 3D detectors such as photo diode array, fluorescence and/or mass detectors like the QDa. This could lead to a variety of combinations of multiple channels of data that need to be processed.

In our last example, we collect 2D and 3D data from a PDA and an ACQUITY QDa mass detector..

In this case, we process with a Method set with the specific channels to be processed and their associated Processing Methods.

It’s that easy!