Methods for monitoring chromatography resins during continuous chromatography operation

A method of monitoring one or more chromatography columns being operated in continuous process mode for efficiency and quality, the method comprising:

• a) providing one or more chromatography columns used in continuous mode;
• b) detecting changes in one or more process parameters selected from the group consisting of pH, conductivity, salt concentration, light absorption, fluorescence after excitation with light of a suitable wavelength, refractive index, electrochemical response and mass spectrometry immediately before, during and directly after the exchange of one process fluid to another process fluid that differ in the one or more process parameters to generate process data;
• c) applying a curve smoothing filter to said process data to generate corrected process data;
• d) calculating the first derivative of said corrected process data to produce derivatized process data of said corrected process data;
• e) determine the HETP value and asymmetry of said derivatized data;
• f) comparing the HETP value and asymmetry to standardized values;
• g) wherein, if the HETP values and asymmetry fall within said standardized values the column is used for another process run.