Analysis of Lactic Acid on Zodiac HST RP Column

Lactic acid (also known as milk acid) is a hydrophilic organic acid that plays a key role in numerous bioprocesses. It has a natural tendency to self-associate, forming dimers, trimers, and higher molecular weight oligomers. Using the Zodiac HST RP mixed-mode HPLC column, lactic acid and its oligomers are effectively retained through a combination of weak reversed-phase and weak anion-exchange interactions. Retention is influenced by the proportion of acetonitrile, buffer concentration, and buffer pH. This method is fully compatible with LC/MS and other detection techniques, making it suitable for the analysis of lactic acid across a variety of sample matrices.